Ex libris
OLBROOKMD.
V MEMBERS OF THE ROTARV CLUB ()Ç
A MARK OF THEIR Em
M So. fRIENDSHIP
1
\
. J
\: :..
I
I'
L
...
.f
.-
\
it. 't-l.. 't \
\ \.
. '.
.l\.
-:......,
.
..,.
.
,
:
.
-.. >
1_
itl.
.... /
. I
.:
f .
. ""'
.,
...
....
tf
Ii
,
-
:
:.a
..
It:r)
'\
:
:
.
..
. .
\ .
,
}
,
,
..
I
ri
:r.
;...
t.-
O
7.
-.:
:r.
o
r.::
:::
C
ç
;0-
f-<
C
-
THE HISTORY
OF THE
County of Bruce
AND OF THE MINOR MUNICIPALITIES THEREIN.
Province of Ontario. Canada
BY
NO
MAN
OBE
TSON
Treasurer of the County of Bruce
Secretary Bruce County
Historical Society
"
C
q7/
-:?..
f,
TORONTO
WILLIAM BRIGGS
1906
1.3591
ORTH YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
MAIN
Entered accordinl( to Act of the Parliament of Canada,
in the year one thou8and nine hundred and 8ix, by
XOR'IMi ROBERTI'O
, at the Department of Agriculture.
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION.
As the numbers became reduced of those who had entered the
county of Bruce as its first settlers, a desire prevailed that, ere it was
too late, an attempt be made to gather from their lips the story of
the pioneer days; as this, with an accurate narrative of the early
evolution of Bruce, must bp obtained, if ever, before those who had
been the active participants had passed away. In the preface to the
Atlas of the County, published by H. Belden & Co., in 1880, is to be
found the first effort made in this direction. This Atlas, however,
was an expensive volume, and is in the possession of but few, and
the historical sketch contained therein is but little known. In 1896
the County Council offered a prize of $50 for the best paper on the
history of the county. In response to this, two papers were submitted,
one written by .T ohn
[cN abb, the other by the author of this volume.
Both of these papers were considered to possess such merit that the
Council offered to give to each of the writers the prize offered,
providerl that two additional chapters be "ritten-one on the
Schools of Bruce, and the other on the
Iilitia and Y olunteer::: of the
County. These two chapters were suppl ied by the writer. After
paying the promised reward, the County Conncil let matters rest,
taking no steps to publish the manuscripts sulJmitted. From the
foregoing it may be seen that a knowledge of any historical facts
relating to the county has been largely confined to the recol1ection
of the oldest inhabitants, and to them only.
The two historical sketches above referred to "ere prepared along
different lines. 1\[r. 'fcN abb wrote largely of the history of the
severttl minor municipalities. The other sketch "ag a continuous
hist.orical narrati\e of the county as a whole. Perceiving that each
form possessed merits the other had not, clIld thinking that a larg-er
\\ ork combining these two form
would coypr eW'l"Y hi..torical feature
iii
IV
AUTHOR'S IN'l'RODL"CTIOX
necessary to be recorded, the writer suggested to ...\Ir. :JlcN abb a
compilation of the two narratives. Nothing, however, was done to
carry out the suggestion. After thinking it over for two or three
years, the author resolved to start de novo and write a History of
the County of Bruce along the line spoken of above. Putting both
of the above papers aside, work in the way of gathering necessary
material was commenced. It was not long before the author became
aware that he had not commenced a day too soon. Death was very
busy among the old pioneers, and in a short time he would have been
too late. During the past eight years scores of old settlers have been
personally interviewed; those who are no longer residents of the
county have been corresponded with; the records of the county offices
at "... alkerton and Goderich have been searched, and also those of
many of the minor municipalities. Various Government Departments
at Ottawa and Toronto have, on application, supplied documents full
of interesting historical facts. The libraries of Parliament have also
furnished a quota of information. Files of old newspapers have been
closely scanned, and no stone has been left unturned to secure
material for a full and accurate history of the county and of the
minor municipalities therein.
The first eleven chapters of this work refer to the county at large.
Then follow twenty-seven chapters, each of which deals with a
:icparate minor municipality. This method may have resulted in
some repetition, but only where for the sake of the narrative it has
been unavoidable, which, under the circumstances, the reader is asked
to excuse.
The author has met with the greatest kindness and willingness
to oblige from everyone from whom information has been sought.
He desires to tender his most hearty thanks to all those who have so
aided him. Especially would he mention the late Thomas Adair;
W. R. Brown and Henry Smith, of the Crown Lands. Department;
W. S. Gould, County Clerk of Bruce; W. M. Dack, Registrar, and
George A. McKay, Deputy Registrar of the County; the late Fred
Lamorandiere, Indian interpreter, and the several county newspapers,
from the columns of which many items have been culled. His
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION
v
thank
are also markedly due to J ame
'Van'en, C.E., who generously
permitted his large map of the county to be used for the purpose of
obtaining the plates from which the sixteen maps of the townships
contained herein are printed.
The expense of publishing a yolume such as this is greater than
is generally imagined. To help over this obstacle the County Council
of Bruce, in a broad-minded, liberal spirit, granted one thousand
dollars to the Bruce County Historical ';3ociety-under whose
auspices this volume is issued-to assist in publishing it, on the
understanding that the sum granted be refunded out of the first
sale:; of the hook. In connection with this g-rant a committee,
consisting of A. ,V. Robb, 'Yilliam ){cDonald and W. J. Henry, was
appointed by th(-' County Council for consulting purposes.
In writing this History the author has done so with a conscientious
(le
ire to avoid writing simply for effect. His effort has been to give
a truthful historical narrative, lightened up with such local coloring
as was available from the individual incidents and experiences of
the pioneers. These personal experiences are fittingly narrated in a
history of the county, for when the early settlers pass away there will
be no one left to tell at first-hand the tales of the backwoods life of
the pioneers of Bruce. "T'hile conscious of many defects in literary
style, the author sends this volume forth with hopeful anticipation of
a kindly reception from all those whose home is in, or whose home
memQries are associated with, the county of Bruce.
NORMAN ROBERTSON.
\\" '\1.KJo.:"TO
, O'T.
CüNTENrrs.
(f{ æ.
"""o-
<Jw-t
<-S1t
./
CHAPTER
L The Surrender of the Indian Title .
II. The Queen's Bush .
III. Th e Pioneers, 1831-1849 .
IV. The Infant County, Id50-1856
V. The Settlement of the County, 18.30-1856 . AA l...CA..M L
VI. The County Town Contest Years, 1837-1866 .:t -ø
Yll. Full Development AI tained, If<.67 -18Bl
V Ill. Thri ving ami Progressing, 1882- HJtl6
IX. Schools anll Education, 1851-1906
x. The )lilitia anù \" olunteers of Bruce, 1857 -190R
XI. The Indian Peninsula., 18;")4-1906
XII. Township of Amabel
XIII. Wiarton
IV. Township of Alhemarle. .
X Y. To" nship o f Eastno r
X VI. Township o f Lindsay
X \'11. Towllshil) o f St. Echnnuds
X\YIlJ. Township of
XIX. \illage of Tara
XX. To
nship of
XXI. Walkertoll
XXII. Towm
hip o
X III. Village of TiTertoll
\.XI \". Towm
hip of Carrick
X X \' Township o f Culro
s
X \"1. Village of Tceswater
XX"II. To""ship of Eldersli e_
XXVIII. Town of Chesley
X:XIÀ. Vil
aße of Paisley
XXÀ.. TO\\llship of (;recnock
XXXI. Township of
X XX II. Township o f KinclLI"Iline
X X X III. 1'0\\ n uf h..im'ardilU'
XXI\". TOWQship o f Kinlo
s
\ ii
PAGE
1
10
.J
Ii
38
47
81
)(14-
128
159
177
193
:!06
:!
I)
:!:u.
:!43
2.'}1
:!j6
26:!
274
:!j8
293
:H4
:
:!s
:
:J5
34-4
:Jj4
:{ti:!
:J74
:,
:J
401
41j
4:!9
4:m
-Ifi9
viii
CONTl:NTS
CH
PTER
xxxv. Village of Lucknow
XXXVI. Township o f Sau!:!eeQ..
XXXVII. Village of Port Elgin
XXXVIII. Town of Southampton
PAGE
4í5
489
496
50S
APPENDICES.
AI'I'ENDl\
A. Copy of Indian Treaty surrendering
augt'en Penin
ula, 13th
October, 1854 .")23
B. Report of Committee on proposed changes in shape of Indian Re-
serves, 27th September, 1855 527
C. Schedule.-Showing Indian affairs, June 30th, 1900 5:!H
D. Copy of Urder-in-Council, August 26th, 1848. Re Free Grants 529
E. Copy of Hand-bills announcing the opening of the Free Grant lands
for settlement . 531
F. Copy of By-law rlissolving the Municipal Union of Townships
and erecting six separate municipalities 53
G. Appointment of a local Crown Land Agent 534
H. First advf'rtisement offering lands for sale by the Crown, dated
June 27th, 1851 . 334
I. Advertisement of lands in Half-mile Strip, Arran, by Indian
Department, July 23rd, 1852. . 533
J. Advertisement offering School Lands for sale, July 30th, 1852 53.')
K. Advertisement giving notification of "The Big Land Sale,"
August 14th, 1834 . ,")36
L. Tabulated Statement of population as given in the decennial Census
returns 1850-1901 5:ri
M. Assessment of the different townships, 1831-1857 . 538
N. List of places bearing various names within the county of Bruce.
List of embryonic towns that now are Dot . ;i:{S
O. Land Improvement Fund. How the (;overnment broke faith
with the settlers 53!)
P. Report of the Uommittee on the Destitution exiøting in the
County of Bruce in 1859 . 543
Q. List of Wardens of the County of Bruce 546
R. Result of vario1ls votes on Prohibition . 54,í
S. Names of Bruce County Volunteers to whom medals have been
granted 54S
T. List of various issues of County of Bruce Debenture!!! 5bU
U. Report of Commi'3sioners, re County Council Division!!! . 5;)1
V. Copy of the Advertisement of Indian Land Sale, Owen Sound, 1856 552
I IJljUSTH.A TIONS.
FrontÙipiect.
COCSTY CorSCIL OF BRUCE, 190;)-6, ASD OFFICERS.
RITISS OF THE Bt:I1.DUW OS M.HS STATW'í ISLA
D
ALLAN CA}f}.;ROS
\V ILLlAr.f \V ITIIERS
(
EORGE .JACK
OS
LATHA\I It HAMJ.I
DONALD HINCLUR
GEORHE Gon.D
,J 011:"> n II.I.n:s
ALE"A
nER )kX..\BR
('IWRT H()r
E A....D nAOI., w ALKERTO
PROCESSIO"- FOR \lED 0"- DeRHA:\1 ::)TREET, \V ALKERTOS', NOVEl\IBER, 1869, TO
CEJ.EHRATE TilE PA8SI'í(; Ot" THF I{AILWAY BV-LAW.
AU:XANDER
IIA\\, K.C.
\VILLI.UI HUNS.
J. .J. KIl'iGS
IIJ.1.
HE:">RY CAR(;ILI.
REv. WIT.J.IAr.f }'RASER
ß. It :\1 II LKR
ALEXASD
R )lcl)oNAI.D
.JOIIS DOI'HI.\SS
FI.OWt:H. POT ISLASD, TOW
SIIII' OF ::IT. ED\lC:-;DS.
.JoIIX EI'KI!'oRD .
LT. ,COL. A.
I'ROAT
JAMES llRUI'h.I.KBA:-;K
,JOSEPII \V AI.KER
OI.IJ Vn:w {J}" Dt'RIlAM
TREET, \VAJ.hEHTO:'oo, Alml'T 187R
HII;" HI'1I00l., ('IIESI.t:Y
j,
PAGE
2-1
3')
32
32
32
64
64
6-1
6-1
]03
110
l:!u
120
120
120
2.i
2:>>2
232
232
2liO
s
S'i
2
:11 IS
:r:s
x
ILU;STRATIOXS
nlUN ORCHARD
PAüE
384
384
384
384
448
448
448
448
460
496
496
496
496
SAM PEL T. ROWE
JOIlX S. McDoNALD
CAPT. DUNCAN Row AN
PETER ROBERTSON
\VILLIAM SUTTON
'VILLIAM RASTALL
D. A.
IACCRI!\IMON, M.D.
VIEW OF KINCARDINE H-\RBOR I
1878
CAl'T. JOHN ISPENCE .
LT. -COL. A. E. BELCHER
HENRY HILKER
THOMAS ADAIR .
:M A PS.
TOWNSHIP OF Al\JABEL
" ALBEMARLE
EASTNOR
LINDSAY
ST. EDMUNDS
ARRAN
BRANT
" BRUCE.
CARRICK
CULROSS
EJ.DERSLIE
GREENOCK
.. HURON
KINCARDISE
KIN LOSS
SAUGEEX
207
23;)
242
2.30
257
263
279
315
. . 334
345
3
400
414
428
468
,488
11 ISTo]{\r OF TI-IE COUXTY OF BI{UCE.
CHAPTER 1.
THE SURRBSDEll OF THE INDIA),! TITLE.
"To the lands in this Proyince acquired by conquest, the British Crown
ha" invariably waived its right until what the Crown has been pleased to
recognize a:s the Indian title has been extinguished by a treaty of surrender."
-1fr. Justice Gu:ymw.
DURIKG the period \\hieh has elapsed since the red man of this
continent came first in contact with his pale-faced brother, he has
experienced at the hands of the latter a process whose general trend
has been toward the extinction of his race and the spoliation of his
territories. To-day we find that his numbers are largely redueed 7
and his lands, both forest and prairie, have }Ja::,sed from his posses-
sion. \t times it has been the bloody hand of \\ ar that snatched
from the Indians their ancestral inheritance.
t others this process
of divestmcnt was as effectively, but more peacefully, accomplished
,
.hile sitting in conference at the council fire, smoking the pipe of
peace with white men sent to treat with them; there, yielding to
plau
ible and beguiling arguments, the simple-minded Indians have
by trcaty surrendered their territories for a comparative trifle\,
Four centuries ago, from the Atlantic tó the racific, this con-
tinent formed the hunting grounù of large numbers of Indian tribes.
To-ùay, owing to the causes above recited, supplemented by the
ravages of (li
ease and "fire\\ater," the lndians have been dispos-
c::,'S
t.tl of their lan(h" while their reduced numbers fino ample
accommodation and provision in the reservations that have been set
apart for them by the governments of Canada and the United States.
The British Government in its dealings with the Indians has always
manifested a lib('ral and honorable spirit. a
Wl,n as a fair rL\gard
for thpir treaty right
. The re:::,ult of this has lW(,1l that Canada
has kno" n no ])lC'rciless and. bloody Inclian \vars, and the TnoiallS
\\ ho live Uluier the Hriti.:h flag', altlwug-h climini
hl\ll in numners.
1
2
cUIBWA YS A
D IW.Hll'ob
have made fair prugress in the path of civilization, entertaining
meanwhile friendly feelings toward the whites.
Our knowledge of the Indian tribes who have resided in the ter-
ritory now comprised in the co
nty of Bruce and adjacent thereto
commences with the advent of the French explorers and the Jesuit
missionaries in the early part of the seventeenth century. At that
time a hranch of the great Algonquin family of Inrlians inhabited
the lilanitoulin Islands, with scattered bands to be fOlmd in what
is now known as the Saugeen peninsula; these bore the tribal name
of thc Ottawas. To the south and east there d"elt the Tobacco
nation, or \Yyandottes, whose tf'rritories extended from the Blue
Hills, near Nottawasaga Bay, to the mouth of the
Ienesetung, or
Iaitland River. Yet further east dwelt the Hurons, in the district
north of Lake Simcoe, a tribe whose memory is perpetuated by the
broad lake which bears their name, but who as a nation were alm
)st
exterminated by their inveterate foes, the Iroquois. This natioll,
after their victory mer the Hurons, proceeded to occupy all the
lands in the peninsula between Lake Ontario and Lake Huron.
How the Iroquois were in turn dispossessed by the Ojibways,! or
Chippawas, is here given, in the form of a condensed extract, from
a book written by one of that nation: 2
"The Ojibways, who, prior to the extirpation of the Hurons and
\Vyandottes, dwelt in the Lake Superior country, annually sent
some of their number to trade with the French at Quebec or
lont-
real. A party of these were waylaid and killed by the Iroquois.
Threats of reprisals were treated by the latter with scorn. After
a second party had been similarly attacked and slain, a council of
the nation was held, resulting in some of their chiefs being sent to
., confer with the Iroquois. The meeting was held at Saugeen, and
resulted in the Iroquois agreeing to pay a bale of furs for each
man that had been killed, and in addition granted permission to
the Ojibways to pass peaceably on trading trips to
Iontreal. This
treat) held good for three :year
, when bands of Iroquois waylaid
simultaneously several parties of Ojibways, returning from a trading
journey. This nappened in the fall of the year, too late in the
season to commence warlike opcrations; so the wat' decided upon
1" Ojibway" is the correct name of this tribe, but "Chippawa" is that
most generally used. It is of this tribe that Longfellow writes in
" Hiawatha."
"The Traditional History of the Ojibway Nation." By George Copway,
or Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh, Chief of the Ojibway nation. Published in 1850.
See also" History of the Ojibway Indians," by Rev. Peter Jones, for state-
ment"! substantiating Copway's account.
BATTLE OJ<' SAl'(iEE
3
\Va::; put 01t until the following spring. In the meantime, runners
were sent to the various allies of the nation, dwelling in the region
between the west end of Lake Erie and thc head-waters of the
lið6Ú;:Ü1>pi, to join them in thc coming \\ ar. In the month of
Iay
following, the combined forct;::; gathered in two parties, one at Lake
St. Clair and the other at Sault Ste. 'Carie, seven hundred canoes
ueing there a;::scmbled. Thi::; latter party divided into two bands.
Onc advanced. on the enemy by way of the Ottawa valley, while the
other proceeded to Penetanguishene. The Lake St. Clair division
at the lSame time came up the east coast of Lake Huron to the
mouth of the Saugeen Hiver, where a fierce battle was fought with
the Iroquois, who ultimately gave way and fleù before the savage
onslaught of the Ojibways."
Further details of the conflict carried on between these two
Indian nations would be foreign to our subject. Suffice it to say,
that the Ojibways succeeded, after several fiercely fought battles,
in driving the Iroquois south of Lake Ontario, and retained posses-
sion of the territories obtained by their victories until surrendered
by treaty to the Crown.
The treaty by which the Indian title was surrendered to that
tract of land comprising the original county of Bruce, viz., the
tcwnships of Saugeen,
\.rran, Bruce, Elderslie, Kincardine, Greenock,
Brant. Huron. Kinloss, Culross and Carrick, was. concluded by
ir
Francis Bonr1 Head, at"
Ianitowaning, on August 9th, 183G, the
consideration given to the treating tribes being .. tweh e hundred
and fifty pounds p't)r annum, as long as gr
s grows or water run:::'
rrhe trcaty itself is
uch an interesting documeI1tt that it is here
gi Yf'n in full:
,.
I Y CHILDREN:-
"Seventy snow seasons have now passed away since we met in
Council at thc crooked place (Kiagara). at which timc and place
your Great Father, the King, and thc Indians of Xorth America
tied their hands t.ogether by the wampum of friendship.
"Sinre that period \ arious circumstanccs havc occurred to
separate from your Great Father many of hi!; rea children, and as
an unavoidable incrf'a;:,f' of white population. a::; "cll as thc progrf'ss
of cultivation, have had the natural f'frect of impoverishing your
hunting grounds it has become nf'C'06sary that new arrangements
should be entered into for the rurrO
f' of proh'ding you from the
I
ncroa('hmpnt
of thf' whitps.
"In an parte; of the \\orhl farlJlNS H\pk for un('ulti\ate<l land as
eagC'rly as you, my re(l childrpn, hunt in yonr for('
t for game.. If
'ou would cultivatp
ollr 1:11111 it \\ oldl1 tlWI1 t)f
I"()n!,jflprefl your 0\\ It
4
MAXITOWAXJKG TREATY
property, in the :::ame way a::: your dogs are considered among your-
seh-es to belong to those who haye reareJ. them; but uncultivated
land is like wild animals, and your Great :Father, who has hitherto
protected you. has now great difficulty in securing it for you from
the whites, who are hunting to cultivate it.
,. Under these circumstances, I have been obliged to consider
what is best to be done for the red children of the forest, and I
now tell you my thoughts. ..
"It appears that these islands on "hich we are now assembled
in Council are, as well as all those on the north shore of Lake
Huron, alike claimed b}? the English, the Ottawas and the
Chippewas.
"I consider that from their facilities and from their being sur-
rounded by innumerable fishing islands, they might be made a most
desirable place of residence for many Indians who wish .to be civil-
ized, as well as to be totally separated from the \,
hites; and I now
tell vou that your Great Father will withdraw his claim to these
islan
ds and alÌow them to be applied for that purpose.
"Are you. t.herefore, the Ottawas and Chippewas, willing to
relinquish your respective claims to these hlands and make them
the property (under your Great Father's control) for all Indians
whom he shall allow to reside on them: if so. afth: your marks to
this my proposal. oJ
" F. B. HEAD.
,,; J. B. _\SSEKIN ACK.
"1IoKO
LM:ü:KISH (totem).l
" TAWACKUCK.
"KnIEWEN (totem).
,- KITCHEl\IOKOMON (totem).
" PESIATA WICK (totem).
" P AnIAUSEGAI (totem).
,;. X A IN A. Wl\IrTTEBE (totem).
"1IoSUKEKO (totem) .
"KEWrCKA:NCE (totem).
" SHA WEN A"GSEW A Y (totem).
"ESPAXIOLE (totem).
" SNAKE (totem).
"PATTrXSEWXY (totem).
"PAnIArQUMESTC
UI (totem).
"WAGE
IAL
QUI
(totem).
Au
ust,' 1 R:1ÎJ."
.
" }[XNITOW AXIXG, 9th
1" Totem:
ome natural ohject. usually an animal with which the mem-
berq of a dan or family connect t}wmselvb. Tlms, among the Algonquin
Indians, the name Bear. 'Yolf, Tortoise, Deer or Rabbit serves to designate
each of a number of clans into which the race is divided. A man belonging
to
uch a clan heing himself actually spoken of as a Bear, a 'Volf. etc., and
the figure of these animals indicate the clan in the native picture writing."
(En('y. Di('tionaJ'Y.)
:\L\NITOWA:\ l
n THEATY
5
"To TIlE
_\lKIXG
:
.. )l í C' HILDREX,
.. Yon ha\'e heard thc propo::;al I ha\e ju;:,t made to the Chippe\\as
and Otta\\as, by which it has been agreed betwePll them and your
Great Father that these Islands C
Ianitoulin), on which we are
now assembled, shoulù be made, in Council, the property (unùer
your Great Father'::; control) of all Indians whom he shall allo\\
to n.
ide on them.
"I now propose to you that you should :surrender to )"our Great
Fathcr thc
auking (
augeen) Territoryl you at pn>::;l'IÜ occupy,
and that you shall repair either to this Island or to that part of
your territory which lies on the
orth of Owen Bounù, npon which
proper house
shall he huilt for yon, and proper a:,
istanee to enable
you to become civilized and to cultivate land, which your Great
Father cng(lgc
forever to protect for you from the encroachments
of the whites.
".\re you. thcre[or0. the
auking Indians, willing- to aecene
to thi
arrangement; if so, affix your marks to this my proposal.
")rX
ITO\V.AXI"GJ 9th August, 1836.
.. \Yitlless:
"T. G. ...\..
DERSON, H.I._\..
., JOSFPH STl
SO", (;('nl.
upt. of
,V csleyan Missions.
.. .\u.\.)[ ELLIOTT.
"J.\"MES Ev.A
s.
"F. L. IN GALL, Lieut. 15th Hegt.,
rommnnding DeÌ<1cht.
,. T \l.FOl-nD \r. :FIELD, Distrt.
.\gl'nt."
.. F. B. Hr _\D.
" l\[ETlEW.\BE (totem) .
"ALJ
X.3SDER (totem)
K \QUTA RrXEV \.litE \.E.
.. Km\-ClPo\\\ IS (totem).
" 'IETl'.\ W y
" AS II (totem) .
Tlw Indian:, who aftcr thc )[anitowaning treaty 10caÜ.tl perman-
('ntly on tlH' RrnC'c peninsula were largel-y of flIP Ojibway trihe, in-
c'Ol'poratca with whom "ere 50nw Pottawafami('s, Tawn.;:, and a few
!'t ragg}NR from othpr trihC':-.
By a ., Hoyal Decll of ] h>e1nration:' datf'c1 2
}th J Ul1l', Ib-l'ì'.
t
i!' proyicled for thf'Sl
-" That tIll'
aid OjilJ\\ay lndian.;; anù their
postprity for e, er,
hal1 po
:-:e:,,;; ilnd enjoy nnù at aU timc::; hc.'l'\'aftl'r
c o nntinu0 to PO:-:-I'R;:, ana 0njoy tIll' said ahoYc tract of laud (the Brul'\'
J)pnin
ula), or the pro(,l'ell
of the
all' therf'of-for the u
e and ben
'-
u' 'I'll(' huntiug grounds in thus.. da
.!> lw]ol1J!inJ! to tilt' :-'augl'(,11 nl1ll
'I'\\a
h Indian", 1.:\.tf'nl]Pfl from ,rl'afol'll to t1u' )[aitIand Riv('r, RllIl in-
I'll1d('1I all thf' \\atf'r!-hf'11 to t]1P ('al...don 11('l1ntain"l, as well as the Indian
Pf'nin"l1la:'
II
a.'... Fn'lI. L.IJIIOralllliNI', (,hif'f Intcl.pretf'r at C'np('
Crof'kl'r. an authorit.," ('1...1'\\ 1\('1"1' (\,lotl'll.
6
SLRRE
DER OF SAUGEEN PENIXSULA
fit of the said Ojibway Indians anù their posterity." A
a Tesult
of the provisions of this deed, when the lands in the peninsula ulti-
mately came into the market, the sale was uncler the control of the
Indian Department, the proceeds of the sales being funded and the
interest thereon paid to the lndians. instead of a fi'{ed annuity, as
it otherwise would ha"e been, according to the generality of Indian
treaties. In many ways the settlers who took up lands in the penin-
sula would have preferred that the lands had been sold by the Crown
Lands Department, as were the other lands in the county of Bruce.
The method adopted has, however, been a source of benefit, to those
wards of the government, the Indian
interested. All the lands
in the peninsula and adjacent islands, being those mentioned in
the deed ahm e referred to. have gradually been surrendered to
the Crown, with the e\.ceptiun of the Indian reservcs. Of these
rpsenes there .I.S onc at the mouth of the Saugeen River, one at
Chiefs Point on Lake Huron, one at Cape Croker on the Georgian
Ray, and a rescne for hunting purposes in the township of St.
Edmunds. Thc process of surrender haf' been effected under vari-
ous treaties, which will be briefly referred to.
The first land to he surrendered was that part of the" Half-mile
Strip" now included in the townships of Arran and Derby. rrhis
\Vas on September '2nd, 18.')1. It was made for the purpose of
obtainin}! a direct road. whi(.h the government agreed to open,
between the Saugeell and the Kewash (Owen Sound) reservations.
The ne
otiatiolls for the ceding 01 this Fmall strip took a long time,
four year;;: or so. Long alter the surrender the Indian:; complained
of not l"L
l'eiving :--atisfadory compen:-,atiull for the lands sold, inas-
nmc-h as a din.et roall was not opened until 1866.
The nc\:t, alHl hy far the la l'gest :-;urrender made of lands, was
that of the ;-:;auf!.'el'll penimmla, effected hy a treaty bearing date
Octol)l'L' 1.
th. ] 85-1. 1 Thi
was negotiated by Laurence Oliphant, a
man whose rl'lHltatioll H:-: an author i;; widely and wen known, who
at t.hat timc "as Sl'
retal'Y to Lord Elgin, the Go"ernor-<ieneral,
and also Superintenflent-General of Iunjan Affairs. Assisting him
on this occasion were
r allLc;s TIo:-,s,
LP.r., of Belleville; Charles
TIankin. P.L.S., of Owen
ouml. and .Ale\::andcr :Jlc
abb, Crown
l.a11l1s \gent, of Southampton. The negotiations were conùucted
in the church ul the Saugl'en band of Indians. ...\..s an inducement
to the Indians to make the surrender. \Ir. Oliphant offered, "1'hat
':'1'1' .\ppendi\. .\ for n ('ol'
of thi" treaty.
THocm E WITH SAU(:EEX IS'DIAXS
7
the lands when surveyed should be sold by auction, and that separ-
ate titles to farm lots should be granted to the lndians within their
own reserves." The non-fulfilment of this last clause was a cause
of complaint for many years by the Indians. This was not the only
trouble and dispute over this treaty. A more serious one arose
regarding the boundary between the Saugeen Reserve and the vil-
lage of Southampton. The Indians claimed that "Copway's Road"
was the boundary agTeed upon, while thc treaty dcscribes it as "a
straight line running due north from the river baugeen;' starting
at a given point. This disagreemcnt, the rcsult of a misunder-
standing, issued as follows: The survey of thc t.own-plot of South-
ampton, north of the river, was commenced early in :May, 1855,
Charles Hankin, P.L.S., håving the contract therefor. He sent on
a party under
lr. George Gould,l who had no difficulty with the
Indians until the survey entered on the lands lying north of the
Cop\\ay noad, the wording of the treaty warranting thc survey of
these lands. rfhe Indians, thinking otherwise, manifested opposi-
tion. rfhe stakes and po:,b set up to mark the survey wcre removed
and thrcats were freely uttcred. Mr. Gould, of course, stopped the
lll"\ e}', anù the matter was reportcd t.o the Government. The
Indians meanwhile called a council, which appointed a deputation
consisting of four chiefs, to be accompanied by the Hey. C. Van
Dusen, a minister of the
IethOllist Church, to wait upon the GO\-
ernor-Gencral, to lay their vCl'::iion of the dispute before him. On
the arri\ al of the deputation at {Juehec, they were informed by Lord
Bury, at that time ;:;uperintclldl'nt-General of Inùian Affairi;, that
1 hey must first obtain a letter from their local superintcndent, Capt.
'1'. G. Anderson (who resided at Cobourg), beforc they could see
and interview His Excellency. rrhe deputation, not having such a
kiter, failed to ohtain a hearing, and returned home mut:h di:--
appointcd. Throughout th(' trihp feding ran high at the Il1:,ult-
for so tlll'Y intcrprcteù the reception given their chief., in Quehec.
The mor(' hot-headed \\ ere for donning their war paint and pro-
ceeding to cxtrpmcs. ,[ ". Frctlk. Lamorandiere, lntliau tiecrelary
at Ca})(' Croker, has furnic;:h('{l tll(' 'Hiter with a deseription of the
confprellce hy which an amicable settlement was arrived at, \\hich
ic;: 11('r(' giH'n in his own word=" as follows: "\Vithout lo
s of time
Lorrl Bury came to O\\"l'n
oun(l (.Julle, 1855) ,\ith a staff of ot1icers,
awl cited t h(' 8a ugcen 1 llllian chiefs to a ppt
ar hl'f()rl
hi 111 t hl'l"l',
1 \Jtl'ruarcl
. allll ror lIIany
I'ar,.., cl(,1'k of th. . O1\11t
oi B1'\lI'('.
ALLEXFORD CO
FERENCE
sending a special courier to personally deliver the message. The
chiefs, however, not being in good humor, flatly refused. A second
message more conciliatory in tone was dispatched, but to no effect.
At last, after long parleying, it was agreed that each party come
half way, to the' Flood-wood Crossing,' as the place was then called,
now Allenford, where a regular Pow-wow was held in full Indian
style, commencing with a feast. After this was disposed of, Capt.
T. G. Anderson,! the Indian Superintendent of the District, an old,
wily Indian trader, who knew the Indian character and the means
to please them, conducted the proceedings by dancing the pow-wow
in. a circle around the COlillcil-fire. A lot of young braves followed.
Immediately after this exhibition the conference began, that led to
the' pipe of peace' being smoked hy everyone, by which good feel-
ing and friendship were restored where a few days before discord
reigned supreme." The conference dissolved upon Lord Bury pro:'
mising the Indians that justice should be done and their grievances
redressed. 2 On this they consented that the suneyors might proceed
and complete the surveys.
The GolpoY'R Bay Reserve of six thousand acres was surrendered
tc the Crown, August 16th, 1861. This surrender affects the county
of Bruce, however, only as regards that part of the town-plot of
"
iarton, lying toward the south-east, the rest of the reserve being
now included within the county of Grey.
The Saugeen Fishing Islands, along with those lying adjacent
to Cape Hurd, were surrendered October 7th and 15th, 1885. This,
with the later surrender of the large islands at the entrance to
Colpoy's Bay, has placed in the hands of the Crown an lands not
included in the rcservations, and extinguished the "Indian title"
thereto. One more treaty of snrrender, and that but a small one,
has to be recorded. It is as follows: The interests of the public
required the making into public highways of two trails or roads
lying within the Saugeen ReRerve. One was that which connects
the village of Southampton with what is known as the Owen Sound
Hoad. The other, going north, is called the French Bay Road.
These required road allowances were surrendered
eptember 30th,
1899.
1Capt. Thos. G. _\nderson was conll('('ted with the Indian Department for
over forty years, retiring on a pensioll in 1858. In the 'Var of 1812-13 he
!'.pecially distinguished himself. An interesting account of his life is to be
found in "Papers and Records," Vol. VI., of the Ontario Historical Society.
2S ee _-\ ppendix B.
PRESENT COXDITIO
9
As it may interest some of my readers to know the present COll-
dition of the Indians residing in the reservations within the county
of Bruce, a Schedule (see ...\.ppendix C) has been compiled by the
author from Government Reports, for the year ending the 30th
June, 1ÐOO. It shows a highly satisfactory state of affairs, com-
plimentary to aU who have worked for the uplifting and civiliza-
tion of our native tribes on these reservations.
CHAPTER II.
THE QUEEN
b lJFùlI.
Extract f1"01lZ, a Rrport of a Committee of the Executi.ve Council, Daterl
February 26th, 18 }.3, and approved by His Excellency the Go,;cr1l01"-
Gcmral two days later:
""ïlliam H. Peterson with a petition from the inhabitants of a tract
of land called the 'Quppn's Bu!'.h,' in the District of "-ellington, praying
to have it ,;UlTf'yeù.
,. The Conunittf'e recollHllPnd that the tract uf land above mentioneù be
forthwith sUlTeyed, and that a plan of survey he submitted for approval of
your txccllel1cy-in-Coullf'il. The charges for sUl'veJT will be against the
Clergy Hesf'rvc Fund."
r E)lORY has an odd way at times of retaining a recollection of
that which is unimportant, whilst the relatiycly important things
too often are forgotten. To some such peculiarity of memory the
writer mu!'t attribute his recollection of a school Geography, in
nse some fifty years ago-,\ hich even then must have be('n almù!'t
obsolete-in which wa..; a map of TTpper Canada, showing its divi-
sions into Districts. Besides the Districts, the map also showed a
large blank trad, which was designated ,. Indian Territory," roughly
bounderl, a...: far as memory recalls, by the Home District on the
east, the Huron District on the south. anù Lake Huron on the
west. and north respectively. This" Territory" is that tract of
hmd mentioned in the preceding chapter as ceded to the Crown by
the treaty executed at :Manitowaning. Shortly thereafter it came
to be known as the "Queen's Bush," a title given, no doubt, to
distinguish it from the lands belonging to the Canada Company,
the Herman Company, and others that had obtained large block
of land from the Crown, holding them largely for speculative
purposes.
Filed away among the records of the Crown Lands De}Jartment
are scveral petitions presented in 1847-t;, similar in effect to the
one referred to in the above headnote, the constant demand bein
for the opening up of lands suitable for settlement.
At that period Canada was being favored with a large wave of
immigration, landing a yearly increa:-:ing number of immigrants
10
OPEXIXG Lï) OF (
lJEEX'S lllJSH
11
upon her
hore8. TlwI'e were hut 23.:375 immigrant
m lö-l5, but
IK-I7' saw this figure increa:::eù to 89,440. ffhe population of Upper
Canaan, which in 1:-;-/'2 was
G,n.j.j, ro;:;e to 'ì
3,3;3
in 184
, and
to
)32,OO-! in 1852, an in(T('n:,p of nearly one hundred per cent. in
tl'n yc'ars. whiC'h in a larg-e measure was duc to immigration.
The demand fur land
for settlelllcnt l"e:,uIting from such a
rapid imorease in population was rp:sponùe
1 to b) the E
eeutive,
awl plans were made {or the opening- up and H'ttlement of the
"(llU'en's Bush." On the 19th April, 18-1:7, all Order-in-Council
was pa
:-ed, .. To open up the waste lauch: uf thl' Crown in the
11 \Iron ) li:strict, by the sun ey of a double conC'l's:-:ioll of lots on a
linp from the northerly angle of the township of .Mornington, to
thp ]lorth-past anglc of the town
hip of "-awano:,h.
\l:-:o a single
COlH'{'
sion along the rear boundary line of the townshi}Js of \Vawa-
no
h and ...\shfidcU and one along- the shorc of Lake Huron,
northerly from A
hficld." Thi
to be all in onp suney.
TlH' ILon. D. B. l'apineau, éommissionpr of CrO\\n Lands, fol-
kwec1 up this order, on ,ray 8th, 18-1 ì, by directing Alex. \rilkin-
son,!'. L.S., to mahe the fOl'{'
oil1g survey, with the proviso, that
" t hp exit'nt of tIll' survcy along the lakp shore i:; to be limited by
thp démand for lands."
f r. \\ïlkinson promptly prol't'elled to undertake the work
allotÜ'd to him. Taking a party of twehe men anù the needed
supplie
, he
taJ'tpII for t11p Bu:-:h. .\t Cod{'rich he f'IHh'a\ored to
engage a "wan suJIieientl}" ae-quai nkd \\ ith thp locality to act a;-,
guidl', so a.s to l"cath tlll' north-east ,wg-le of \Y awano
h, the point
whpre hc purpo
e(l to COllllllelH'l' the sun ey. So completely wa
the Bush a term illcogni/(J, that hp cOHIll not ohtain anyone who
l,o
:,e
:,ca the require<l knowlpdge. ) n hi:, rpport
1 r. "ïlkill
on says.
"I \\ a
forced to find tll(' phlCP lllY
P1f froUl the l}f'st information
ohtainable from the sl'/ tlPI':; in \\'<1\\ a nos11, whieh was but little.
as none of them hac1 ('VPI' hl'('n hac'k that far:' Following the
conr!:'c of the riyer )Iaitlanll. the :;:.nne
'ing party ilt length reached
their dcstination. .\ fh'r running thc \\ a\\(lJlo
h roa<l
outh-e,lsterly
to thC' towm:hips of \foI'uington al1l1
Iar}'horough, \Ir. \\ïlkin!'on
retraced his step
to hi::; orig-illal
tal'ting point; thellcl' l"ropt'ning"
aml n'hlazing- the lim' to Lakl' Hm'ol1,2 at thp
iU1\('. tilllP I'lalltill
'Thi<; "!'.inp-\p ("olll......,.ion" \lPI'''111(> ('on. I in tll(' to" n...hip" of l
in\o"5 and
H l1ron.
.
This line formf'l1 th(. TeaT of till' towlIships of .\:-hliI'I.\ ana ',":1\\ all(\
h;
the:-;c Í\\ 0 to\\ nshi po;; lun iJlg hpl'JI ...l1rH'
(>11 ,,1'\'1'1":1 \ yen r,.. prior to t hi,..
12
WORK OF A. WILKIX
O
. P,L.S.
the posts along: the north side of the line, marking out the farm
lots in what arc now the first cuncessions of the townships of Kinloss
and Huron. which farm lots, therefore, can daim the honor of
being the first surveyed farm lands in the county of Bruce. )[1'.
"
ilkinson was not, however, the first
luveyor to work in the county.
)[ 1'. Charles Rankin preceded him, having in 184:6 run the line
from Owen
ound to the mouth of the Sallgecn RÏ\-er. that con-
stituted the southern houn<lary of the Indian Hespne. 1
The demand for new lands in the summer of 184:7 must have
heen considerable, for on
eptember 21st of that year, further
in...trudiom: were issued to )lr. \Yilkinson, in which he was directed
to "survey the eastern shore of Lake Huron northerly from the
township of
\'::;hfielù to the extent of two townships. From thence
to make an angular sun-ey of the shore to thc mouth of the Sau
ecn
rivpr. ann. a sun-ey of the river for about tf'n miles:'
An examination of a map of the county of Bruce will show
that t.he lots surveyed by l\Ir. 'Yilkinson, which e
tend from the
south-east corner of Kinloss to the lake, thence northward along
the shore line. arc in form narrower and longer than are to be
found elsewhere in the county in farms of eCJual size. The reason
assigned for this is, such a shapc of lot would result in the settlers
dwel1ing closer together. They would, therefore, be able the more
readily to render each othcr as
istance in ca
e any trouble with the
Indians should occur, a contingency that fortunately has never
arisen.
In the winter following the completion of the above-mentioned
suneys, )11'. 'Yilkinson furnished the Crown Lands Department
with an outline map, by which he showed how the unsm','eyeù }Jart
of the "Queen's Bush" might. be desirably blocked out into town-
ships, The uniqueness of this document makes it an excecdingly
interesting' one. The fact of it having been drafted at that time
indicates that the question of a suitable division into townships of
the last of the wild lanù:, in the western part of IT pper Canada
belonging to the Crown was heing considered. Although the pro-
jected sun-eys suggested by
lr. 'Yilkinson were but part.ial1y car-
ried out, his plan no doubt formed the basis for the one ultimately
I\Yhether :Mr. Rankin at the <.;amc time surveyed the "Half-:Mile ::::.trip"
or not, the writer cannot say, It is indicated in a draft map of the pro-
posed new townships in BrUle, made in 1848 but the land was not ceded
to the ('ro\\n until 1851. '
&
WOHK OF A.!'. Bl{(WGH, P.L.S.
13
adopted, wbich di ,'ich'<l tbe tract into öeycntecn town
hips. Ele, en
of these compribc those townships in Bruce south of the Indian
Reserve; the othel' six are Tnrnbrrry, Howick, )Iorris and Grey, in
the county of Huron, and Elma and 'Yal1ace, ill the county of
Perth. The exact date when the plan of the final surveys was
decided upon cannot be given, but it is a
afe surmise to say that
it must ha\c been some time during the spring or'
arly summer
of 1848.
To attract the attention of prospective settlers t.o the district
about to be surveyed, the Government decided to open up a coloniza-
tion road from the county of Simcoe to the mouth of the Penetan-
gore TIiver on Lake Huron, and to offcr as a free grant to actual
settlers a fifty acre farm lot on one of the two concessiou:::, north
or south of this road. rrhis decision was formulated by an Order-
in-Council pas
ed August 26th, 1848. 1
On the day the order was passed,
\.. P. Brough, P.L.S.,2
received instructions to :-:urn}} the western part of the road, from
\\ here thp villagr of Durham now :-:tmllls, to the lake; also to make
a cursory !:'urvey of the reserve for a to\\ n )Jlot at the mouth of the
Penetangore River.
)11'. Brough had among those who formed his sun'eying party
::;ome men who ultimately became settlers in the county and assisted
ill its development in a prominent manller. Latham ß. Hamlill,
his prineipal a
:;istant, yc
ll'S afterward LCl'ame H1t' COUllt} Ellgineer,3
.S..C _\ppcJldh: D for eopy of this unler, and note thc conditions therein
gi\"(
ll attached to the offer of a free grant.
Allan Park Brough, P.L.S., sun eJ-ed not only the Durham Road, but
al"ù the Elora Road, from the north-west corner of Carrick to its southerly
tcrminu,j iu thc to" nship of )raryborough, the to\\I1 plot of Kincardinc,
tlH' to"II"hip of Rr:mt, and was proc('{'ding with 111(' surn'J" of the township
of ßru{'{> when he died. His namc is pre"erved in the name of "Allan
Park," b{'stowed on a vilJage on the Durham line in the to\\nship of Bcntinck.
.:LHthalll B. Hamlin, aft{'r ('f'a
ing to lw ('ount," EngilH'cr of RruC'{' (
{,f'
('haptl'r \-r1.) \\aR engaged in the construction of the Intercolonial Rail- .
way, and afterwarò
in that of the Canadian Pacific Rail" ay in British
('olulllhia, \\'hilc in Uw WI'"t lit' aCI'ull1ulatcd :'OIllC ])){'HII"', hut unfortu-
Wltf'l\- l()
t thelll, _\(hancc(l in }l'ars a
h{' was, hf' '\l'nt to the Klondil,.e,
hopili g to be fortunate t>nollgh to retrieve hi". fortunes. ] r('
nd
partner
took up a claim on IIunk('r Creek, a small trIbutary of th? h..loIHhke, some
thirh' milf'R from Da\\son. 1'1)(' two nwn \\('re caught out III a ,,{'vere snow-
!-ton;l
IlHl \\{>rc h
l(lh' froz(,ll hcforf' th{'
T succf'edpd in rt>turning' t.o their
I'ahin. The ,rountpd 'Police found the partn('r dead. and
lr. Hamlin \\ith
hi" arms and l{'gs fr07f'1l almost up to his hOlly. Thcy hrought him to Daw-
"on, wlH'rc he di{>ò "ithin a few da
'
aftl'r reaching' there. This <lad (){'{>ur-
rence happened in the month of Fehruar,'- or 'rarC'h in thc year l8f1
.
14
Dl'HHA
I ROAD :SURVEY
and :mperintended the con::-;trul:tion of the system of county gra\el
roads. Anot11er \Vas Peter Smith, a pioneer settler of Baugeen
rrownship. Others were J olm Caskanette and .f os
ph Chartrand,
of Greenot:k, \\ ho survived to see the county of Bruce attain its
jubilee.
The report of this suney submitted by )Ir. Brough is a lengthy
one.
Iany cletai1s ill it are interesting, and will be referred to in
the éhapter:'-ì relating to the minor municipalities through which
the suney ran. Having been supplied with the required astlOllomi-
eal bearings, )Ir. Brough projected his lines accordingly. Starting
at Penetangore (now Kincardine), the party pm;;hed their way
through the unhroken forest. that then c-ovcl'ecl the lands comprising
the townships of Kincardine amI Kinlos:::, until they reached the
large tract of swamp subsequently known as the Greenock ::;wamp,
of which "Mr. Brough says in his report: "Previous to deeiding
upon the route for the Durham Road in the to\,onship of Greenock,
] eÀplorecl the country some eif!ht or ten mile:- in extent and found
it to be almo::5t continuous swamp. the e\:tent of which was not fully
aF:certainpd; but it may in gC'neral term::5 he :,aid to emhrace a helt
of (OOlmtry sOllie tf'll or twehoe miles in length by four in width, and
contains more than 25,000 acres. This imnwnsc swamp lies on the
wpst sidp of tlw
\u-:.::huski
ihbi, br \hHIdy Rin'r.l On the east side
of Otter Lake (in the township of Kinloss) a small neck of hard
land protrudes itself into the swamp; of this I took advantage to
carry forward the Durham Road into the township of Greenock, as
it is the only piecC' of land in a range of "-everal miles that i::5 prac-
ticable for a line of road." The takinf! of this route through the
swamp brought the line of road so far ""outh, that the survey pro-
1This stream Lean,. so nwn.' nallIt'S th:l1 it "iH not be out of place to
rl'fer to tiwm hf're. On the map of the count.'T of Bruce. puhlished by James
"'arren. P.L.S.. tlw river is called the ,. Yoka;;ippi." which is a corruption
of the Tndian \\ord "Ah-ta-vahko-<.;iubi ., which m"nn;;;, ,. The Drowned J,ands
. Hiver." At the jUlldion 'of this str'eam \\ ith the Sang-een, the Indians
('all it the "
I{'k{'nakoJ1('psihhi." or "Small :\Iud Turtle River." The" Mud
Hiyer" is what tlw f'arly -..pttl"rs called it; but it is prohably more fre-
quently eallf'<l the" Tep--water" to-rla.'" than by an
T other of its numerous
names. .A,... to tl1(' ori
!Ïn of the namp ")[11d TIi,-er." the following in('ident
is giycn: Tlw latf' 1'"tl'r f'mith, of Saugcen. was flagman in Brough's sur-
veying party. He u'ied to relate that. during" the prog-ress of the sunp
'.
whpn he rpa('hed tllP riypr he somehow felJ into it, and was thoroughly
hpmirpd in Its 007Y lwrl. '\.
lw flound('red out upon firm ground Rrongh
eame up and snid. ""'hnt nnme shall we give this riyer?" Smit11. 1001,in!!
down on hi.. mud-coHred garn 1 ('11Ì--. snid. "You had lwtter call it 1\111rl
Hiwr." Ef'ing npt nnd deseriptÌ\'(' ()f part of the <.;trpam, the name stuck
for man.,- year;:;.
GREEXOCK TOWN-PLOT
15
cee(lcd on what would have been the .. ::-';outh Line," if the first
projection had been followed out. It abo resulted in bringing the
line of roaù di::iÌant but the \, idth of a conce5sion from the southerly
boundary of the township. In consequence the survey of free grant
farm lots was limited to one conce::ision on each side of the Durhalll
Hoad throughout GreenoL'k. The deviation nece::isitated hy the fore-
going circumstances no doubt influenced
Ir. Brough to drop the
,,;uTYey at this point and proceed to Durham, and from there to
5un ey the road westward, through the town
hips of Bentillck and
.Brant. These details have been gi\en as an e
planation of the jog
of a mile and a quarter \\ hich occur5 in the Durham line at the
boundary of the townships of Brant and Greenock, where was laid
out the GrccnoL'k to\\ n-plot to connect the roads running cast and
we:;t with each other. rrhis town-plot failed to respond to the early
expectation;;;, nmer de\eloping into even the semblaul'e of a centre
of population. It ultimately was surveyed into farm 10b. 1
The surveys made by A. Wilkinson and _\... r. Brough, e:\.tended
in long lines through several to\\ nships, attained the object sought,
nalllc1.\-, that of opening up the .. Qu('C'n's Bu
h:' It was upon these
sun ey:; that the first permanent settlers in search of farm lanùs
located, the initial settlements being on the lake shore at or near
Kiucardine, in the summer of lS-!t). Others who L'ame into the
county in the fall of the same year lm'ated on the] huham Line in
the sam(' vicinity. The !==pring of ] :-;-UI a.ldecl to thL:--I'" and also \\ it-
nt'
:-l'd many of the "free grant:-:" in Brant being settled upon.
The to" n-plot of Penetangore (Kincardine) wa5 laid out toward.
the close of 184U, and with it the survey as
igned to :\lr. Brough
\\as completed.
rp to the last-mentioned date n
township ill the county of
Bruce had been surveye<l mto farm lots; this was a work commcnced
in the ensuing year. Tlw following is the order in which the various
suhsequent gO"\'ernment surveys were made. In 1850, Brant and
Kincardine rrownships were snrveyecl. In the winter fol1owing, the
Elora Road from the Greenock town-plot southwarcls was laid out.
I_\n Ofder-in-f'ouncil, datf'cl _\pril 7th, 1852, abolished t11P GTeenock town-
plot. \lthongh not in the mark('t the land., th(')"<.>in \\('re larg<.>IJT sfJuatted
npon. .\" a mattpr of
p('culat ion the lands w<.>r(' pur<.>ha"ed from the Crown
hy .Tanws \\,('1I4('r. of Guelph, and Dr. Hamilton. of God('rich. who
u(,cf'('ded
in havinO' th(' actual s<.>tt1ellwnt clausp waivNJ. hut on condition that they
satisfy the claims of the sfJuaU('rs. They heM the lantIs, still mostly hush,
until hW
. when .John
. and Jame" Tolton purcha
<.>d the PTeateT paTt of
the hllick.
IG
FI
AL CROWN SCHYEYS
A suney was made in 1851 of the tm\ nships of Arran, Elder5lie,
Huron. Saugeen, the wcst part of Bruce, and the town-plot of
Southampton; in 1852, the east part of the township of Bruce and
the townships of Carrick, Culross, Kinloss, and Greenock; in 1855,
the townships of Amabel and Albemarle and town-plot of Alma; in
1856, the townships of Eastnor and Lindsay, the town-plot of 'Viarton
and the village of Paisley; in 1857, the township of St. Edmunds; in
1875. the six hundred acres reserve forming the southerly part of
Southampton town-plot, and in 1899 and 1900 the Fishing Islands,
completing the last of the Crown surveys of any moment.
CHAPT Elt Ill.
THE PIOSEERS.
1831-18-19.
Ix attempting to give a narration of such incident::; regarding
the pioneers of the county of Bruce a:; the author has succeeded in
gathering, the reader is asked to bear in mind the fact that they
who have a right to be so entitled should properly be referretI to
under se\eral widely divergent classes. Of these the first were the
early fur traders, to be followed by explorers, Indian missionaries ·
and the hardy fishermen, who were profitably engage(l in their can-
ing at the Fishing Islands yeaTs bef
e a surveyor had even entered
this part of the province. The work of these venturesome men wa
largely past when the pioneers who formed the vanguard of progress
and civilization entered the "Queen '::I Bu:;h;" antI made the first
permanent settlements in the county. Tfhis latter class of pioneers
were the men who cleared the forest, opened up roads, establishetI
schools, formed the \arious municipalities within the county antI
started the wheels of its many industries; men characterized by an
enthusiasm, fortitude anù industry that made them the peer
of
any that ever made a clearing and a settlement in a Canadian forest.
Ruins of what evidently were forts erected by fur trader s are
to be seen at Cape Croker, Stokes Bay, Red Bay and Southampton.
)Ian}" are the surmises about these ruined forts. Of what nation-
ality were' thpy who erectf'd them, and when and why abandoned?
To thf'se and kindred questions no eertain reply can be given. ;;olUe
aS
('ft that they were Hudson Bay Company forts, hut satisfactory
proof that such was the case has not been met with by the writer.
Canada was not ceded by the French to Great Britain until 11lì:-J.
Before that datc it i
incredible to t.hink that the ]I utlson Ray COTll-
pany"s factors were ypnturesome enough to erect trading posts on
French tf'rritory. [f erectf'd since that date, surely these forts
would have been known ani! refplTed to in the records of the \\ ar
of 1
12" \\ hen ves
els of noth tllf' English alHl _\me1Ïcan navies
ailed on Lake Huron. The
e and othf'r rf'a!'ons, such as the finding
of ":1IIall 1'f'li('
of apparent1
. Fr('nch origin ]1('a1' tlw !'itf'::: of th'5p
17
It)
l'lERRE PICHÉ
ruin::;, lead to the supposition that the forts were erected by Frenc h
tn1ders. Lackmg positi, e evidence, any view, howeyer, is only
conjecture. .
The fol1m\ing facts about the early fur traders at Sè:lUgeèn were
given by Joseph Longe, sell.. to J o::;eph X ormand in, an old voyageur,
who as a boy lived at Goderich at the time of its
ettlel1lent, but
who removed to Penetanguishene in 1t)31, and then to Killarney.
X ormandin's age i::; uncertain, except that he was born prior to 1820.
He related these incidents to Fred. Lamorandiere, the Indian inter-
preter at Cape Croker, to whom the author is indebted for them,
and which are here given in a form but slightly changed from the
r
cital as received:
.. One Pierre Piché. in the year 1818, came from Lower Canada
to "Mackinaw tD take part in the adventures and profits of the fur
trade. He engaged with one Dr. )Iitchell, of the military po:;t of
::\Iichilimackina,,-, as it was th
n called. (The In(1Ïan name of that
island "as ":JIishi :JIikinac," meaning a "great turtle:') Ha ,.ing
heard of the r:ichness of the Saugeen country in furs he went there
to establish a trading post. It was on the flat, on the south
side of the Saugeen River, that he built for himself a housc and
store, amI completed the establishment by taking to himself a wife
from the tribe of Indians residing in that Yicinity. He received
his supply of goods for trading through Dr. 11itchell, and afterwards
from his 'sons <1eorge and Andrew. The jIitchells residerl first at
::\Iackinaw, but when that was cprled to the rnitec1 States, they
moved to Drummond bland, and when that, too. became ...\merican
territory. to Penetanguishene. Piché was a man of grrat strength
and bravery, and on account of these qualities he succeeded in
obtaining and keeping control of the nest part of the fur trade in
the vicinity of S
ngeen. He had many competitors, however, who
obtained their supplies from \V. S. Gooding, of Goderich, Joseph
Longe, sen.,! who supplied these facts, being one of them. On
Piché's death. about 1828, his business was taken up by Edward
Sayers: hc in turn was succeeded by .Achille Canotte and Registe
J.oranger; the latter had been a clerk in ,Iitchell's store at Pene-
tangui
henc. He came to the Saugecn trading post with his brirle,
Adelaide Lamorandiere, remaining there until the breaking out of
lJoseph Longe, sen., died about 1858 or ISM), and was said to have
attained the age of nf'ar1y a century. _-\. number of his descendants reside
at
outhampton.
UTUElt FUB. TUADEHS
19
the rebellion in 1t;37. The competition to purcha::ie fur:; was keen,
and mQ.ny were the . ruses de g uerre' used by the tnlùers to get
ahead of a competitor; consequently men good for a long, fast
tramp through thp woods to visit the various Indian CèllIlpS \\Crè in
demand. Among those so employed were A.
L ,rd;regor (after-
ward Capt. Achille Cadotte), Louis and :::;am Thibeau, Thader
Lamoraudiere and .T oseph Longe, jun."
Besides the traders mentioned by 1\Ir. Lamorandiere in the above
narrative, there were others who came later into the field, and were
well kno\\n by many settler::; in Bruce. These men made Goderich
their headquarters, from which point they vi::ÜteJ, either by boat in
summer or by dog-train in \\ inter, the varioú:; Indian camps in
Bruce or on the
1anitoulin Island, returning with large quantities
of furs, lllal'le sugar, anù other products of the fore:;t and lake.
L\.mong the last of these traders were Hugh Johnston, of Goderich,
and William Hastall, who final1y settled at Kincardine. For a
number of years after taking up his re::òidenee at Kiuéardine, )11'.
Rastall each faU visited the Inùian::; at Saugeen, returning b-!fore
the ice broke up in the spring, hringing his purchases with him.
packed on toboggans drawn by dogs. In trading with the Indians
traders made a practice of paying them the priC'1' asked for their
commodities, without any beating down; payment wa::; ahrays in
goods, but the trader took care that the pricp he received for his
goods was proportionate to that a:;ked for the furs he had purcha::;eJ.
Of those who were merely explorers, the first to be mentione...l is
Capt. II. 'V. Bayficld, U.N., who made a hydrographic survey of Lnke
Huron and its shores in 1822. His chart of the same has been ip
use hy navigator
of the lake to the present any. An examination
of thi:;: chart shows the changes which have taken place in the J1ilmeS
of places as well as in the spelling, as for e"\ample, .. Sangeen" we
then' find spelled "ì5augink," and ToberIllory bears the name of....
Collins' Harbor.
I n 1844 the GO\ernment sent out a party to explore the
ang
n
River, at the head of which was Co!. Casimir S. Gzowsk i. at that
tinH' holdin
a position in the Department of Public Work,,-
Accompanying him were )lr. Jamf's Wl'bster, of Fergus. arterward
Hegistrar of the county of 'Vellington, and 'f r. Thomas Y o
ng,
Crown I..aml-; .Agl'nt at \rthur. Going- north, probably b
way of
the narafra"Xa Road, until they refichf'n the Sangel'n TIi\ err thpy
followen it
cour
(' in a r:mof'. making' notes a
tIll'.\' jonrne)'erl.
:!()
EXPLUUERS
From these notes )Jr. A. "
ilkinsoll marked the course of the rin>r
in a wonderfully accurate manner, in the sketch map ,of the
.. Queen's Bush:' referreLl to in thQ preceding chapter. The author
has searched hoth at Ottawa and Toronto in various goyernmental
departments in an endeavor to obtain a copy of Co!. GzO\vski's
report, but un6ucce:::sfully, much to his regret, a
it mll:::t have con-
tained a description of part of the county of Bruce 3::;
een for the
tirst time by a white man.
It was in 18-18 that the first geological survey Was made of that
part of the province in which the county of Bruce lies. The Buney
party engaged in this work
eem only to haye coaste<1 along the lake
shore fI-ont of the county, without extending their researches beyon(l.
A letter received by the author from Dr, Bell, Director of the Geo-
logical Survey of Canada, given in a footnote,! covers all that is
neressary to record about this, or the subsequent survey made by
himself of the geological features of the county.
In 1834 the Rev. Thomas Hurlburt,2 of the ,r c:::leyan 1Iethoc1ist
Church, was appointed to commence a mission among the InL1ians
r,.:::iding at the mouth of the Saugeen. During the six. prerions
years )lr. Hurlburt had laboren a
a missionary at the Indian
1.. Geological Surn'.'" of Canada,
.. Robert Bell. M.D.. D.Sc. (Cantab.), LLD., F.R.S. 1.S.0.,
" Actfng Deputy Head and Director,
"Ottawa, September 15th, 1904.
,. Dear
ir,-In reply to :,"our question I beg to say that the ea"tern
shore of Lake Huron was not surn
ed or e.....amined by Sir 'Y. E. Logan
him;;:.e1f. but by the as;;:.istant proyincial geologist, 1\11'. Alexander ::\Iurray,
in 18-1S. His delineation of the geological boundaries in the county of
Bruce was only tentative, and on my examination of that county in 1863 I
l'stablished these boundaries much more accurately, and as they are now
represented on our geological maps. The contours of these boundarie" are
of some geologic interest, as sho\\ ing what must be the general geological
structure under the waters of the eastern part of Lake Huron, \\ hich is
important in connection with anticlinals and the occurrence of petroleum in
south-western Ontario. The corrected geology of the county of Bruce is
des('ribe(l yery Lriefly by f'ir "'illiam Logan in the 'Geology of C'an3da,
]
fi3.'
"Yours truly,
"ROBERT BELL,
".1ct-ill!l Director.
"In ::\11'. )Im-ra:, 's report for 1848 (published in 1R-19) hI' doe,;; not men-
tion ' count
. of Bruce,' but speak.; of Pt. Douglas, Maitland Rh"C'r, · Saugeen '
Riwr, Cape Hurd, etc."
2Rev. )lr. Hurlburt's ministerial activities extendec1 from 182S to lSï
.
The greater part of his work during this period was among the Indians.
Hi" death occurred April 14th, 1873. Mrs. Hurlburt was a daughter of the
ReY. Ezra _-\dams, and was an aunt of )11'8. (Rev.) D. A. :Moil'. late of
"-alkf'rtoll. and was also related to J. H. Adams, banker, of Hanover.
l\lISSIOXS TO THE INDIAS::;
21
Hesene at :i\Iuncey, in the township of Caradoc, obtaining there a
training that stood him in good
teaù in opening the mission at
Saugeen. _ As an assistant )Ir. Hurlburt had a native Inùian local
preacher named Da\ id
awyer" Their outfit con5isted of a few
necessary househola and farming uten
il
, with such prO\"isions as
were requisite, all placed in a cart, to which were yokeÜ an ox and
a cow. \rith this novel team they made their way through a hun-
dred miles of bush to Goderich, the rest of their journey being made
in a sail boat, while the cattle were driven along the beach V)
Saug-cen. The missionaries met with encouraging success in their
work. and in 1835 reported a congregation of fifty-nine members.
)[r. Hurlburt's stay at Saugeen extenùed oyer three year
. 'rlÜle
there he haù a son born to him, who without doubt was the fir:,t
white child horn in Bruce. This mi
sion prospereù in its work, and
the great majority of the band are at this day members, or adher-
ents, of the )[ethodist Church. The following are the names of the
missionaries, successors to )[r. Hurlburt, who during the first thirty
years of the mission labored in this field: Rey. Gilhert )[ iller
(lX38), \Ym. Herkimer. (1839--10 and 1850), Thollla5 ,rillialll,..
(Jö-10), George Cop\\ay (1843-5), .r. K. Williston (Uì-l6-9, 1
5ß-
1
IÎ2) , James Hutchinson (1851-2), Peter J acob6 (18.33-5).
The ('ar1ie
t attempt to develop the natural resources of the
(,OllIlty of Bruce is to be credited to Capt. _\lexander )[acGregor, of
Cotlerich,2 who in 1831, when sailing among the group of island:,=-
now kno\\ n as the Fishing Island::;, discovered that the locality wa:s
teeming with fish. lIe soon established himself on one of the islands
fwd COllUlIcllced to gather in the harvest of its adjacent watf'r:;;.
Capt. )[acGrc;.!or'
greatest difficulty in taking all vantage of this
ource of wm1th of naturc's proviòing, wa
to di::-posp of the illllllen
,-
quantities of fish that could be secured, as the numbpr :""\'emed
unlimited. Somp time about 1834, when in Dl>troit, Capt. )[ac-
Grf>gnr f'nte]'(',l into a !-ati
ractor
' contrad with an _\lllerican COlll-
Il>a,"iII Sawn'r. horn in I
ll, W:t!-l the ('Illt'!-It !-Ion of tIlt' H('<ul ('hil'f of
th(' ("n'IIit, or )Ii",.,issagua bawl of Inùian,.. lIt' "a,. ('ol1\"l'rtt'll to C'hri,;;tian-
ity f!"OllI paganism "hen about fourtt'l'n :,"f'ars of ag('. and wa... appoint(,tt a
lo('al prt'aeùer in 18
9. In 1 R-t!) tlw I Jltlia ns of
aug('t'n :md ,pwa:"h asked
him to n....i,Ie among tlwl11, to act as their agpnt in tran,.,apting hu...ine,;;,;;
"ith tIlt' Iro'"ernmf'nt, and hN'olU(, one of tlwir hawl. whid1 h(' IIi,l. Hi,;; name
[l1'))(',lr" ;... on(' of t}1f' ('hi('f... \\ho !'ign('d the tr(':tt
- of nptolll'r l:Jth, Ht.t,
<;U1TPIHh'ring th(' Bn1t"(' ppninsula to the Cro\\ n.
Fath('r of Capt. .\. )[l1rra
. )[:1I'(;n'gol.. ,,-host' 1Iallle apppars ('Is,'wI1l'H
in thi,. hi...tor
.
22
CAPT. ALEX. l\L\.CGREGOR
pany, to catch and deliver in ::;torehou::;es a quantity of fi::;h of not
less than three thousand barrels annually, the company at the ::;all
e
time agreeing to take as many more as he eould secure. 1 1 he price
to be paid wa:-:- one donar per barrel, the company unclertaking to
clean, cure and pack an fish so delivered. 'l'he fish l:aught were
l'rincipally white fi:;:h and herring, the catches of which Wel'e gen
erally made by a seine, and \\ ere so large as almost to surpass belieÌ.
The process of securing the fish was conducted in a nìanuer S0H12-
what a:-. follows: .À lUan to watch for the approach of a shoal of
fish would be stationed on a tree so situated that he might obtain a
good outlook over the nearer part of the lake. The sho
tl when
sighted seemed like a bright cloud moving rapidly through the
water. The anllouncpment of its approach filled each meulber of
the calllp of fishermen "ith a spirit of e"\.citement and energetic
activity. The large row-boat, the stern piled high with rhe seine,
which for hour::; had heen lying idly awaiting a sudden call
ike this,
was then hurriedly manned. Under the lusty strokes of its crew
it sped rapidly forwarù, gùided by signals from the man Ull the
outlook, the net ,"as quickly dropped :;:'l. a:; to encircle the shoa!.
The hauling of the net to shore then began. \Yhen the fi
h com-
menl'ed to feel the pre::;sure from the narrowing of the net, the scene
was one long to be remembered. Ther
in a small arLa \\ ere
entrapped thousanùs and thousands of ft::;h. sufficient p05:o:ibly to fill
five hunched to a thousand barrels.! The water in that circum-
scribed space seemed to be fairly alive as the fish in tllPir efforts to
e::;cape rushed madly about, causing its agitated :o:urface to glitter
with the sheen of their silvery sides. All their effort:; were futile;
the seine was clrawn closer to shore, and soon the fi:;:h were thrown
out on the beach, thi:;: proces
being accomplished by a man stand-
ing bare-legged in the miùst of the net-imprisoned fish, scoop in
hand, who soon transferred them from their native element to land,
wh."!re they formed à splendent ma:o:s, flapping and gasping life away.
At times the catch was so large that the landing of the fish was
extended over three daY3. so that none be lost through inability of
the curers to handle so many. At other times, whcn the supply of
barrels, or salt was running low, the net was opened to 16t a portion
of the catch escape.
The establishing of such an extensive" fishing husiness nquirecl
lIn those ear]
' days and for some time after, lJefore these waters had
hepn oypr-fished. catches a<: large a<; thesp were not unfrequf'nt.
FlSHINn ISLANDS EXPLOITEV
23
the
rediun of permanent huildings for the storage of supplies, for
the barrel::; of salted fish, and for the residence of the number of
men engaged in the enterprise. As Capt. 11ë:l(;Gregor had the bus:-
ness running upon a most satisfactory financial ba:,is, he en:cled
on ::Hain
bÜion Island a substantial
t(}nl' huilding, llllasuring
57 x 1 t; feet t'xternally, who:-:e llla:,
i,e walls, llOW in pärtial ruin,
evidcnce the charader of the masonry of those days. .An effort has
been waue by
ume writers to a:;weÏate these ruins with th!' pre::ellce
of the Frt.nch in this part of the prO\ince in the sl'\l'n'eenth cen-
tury. The argullH'llt..: llrged in supl'ort of thi
\ iew may apply to
the remains of the for.h m('utioned in the first part of this l:hapîer,
but as regardð the ruillB OIl )lain Station bland, the writer has the
word of Capt. A. )[urray :\hH"Gregor, that he, as a boy. vi
ited the
Island shortly after th(' huil(lings had hcen ert>cted by his father,
Capt. A)e
allder )[acG regor. The a uthur also has com ersed with
se\eral person..; who rcmcmbl'r Wlll'll the roof on the builùing wa,;
extant.
tateJllents
llt'h as the:-:e, (lefinite amI clear. must a:,sure
the read('r that the
p ruinetl wall::; are thl' remaÎns of the first per-
manent huilding erected in the county of Bruce. anù that to Ca
}t.
\l('xand(,l' \r ad}regor helong;-; the credii of IUl\-ing erected them.!
The financial SUC:c(SS met \\ ith hy Capt. }\[ad1regor 'in his con-
tract with the Detroit company was so great that a feeling of envy
,ras d('vdoPLc1 among his fellow tOWll.; 111 en. COlli hi 11('(1 \\ ith a dc....il'e
to participate in his fortunate dis\'ovf>ry awl gn1:,p the profi1s thereof.
rl'his was mänife..:Ìt'ù hy certain reprl'
t-'lltation..: made to the govern-
J1l('ut to the ('ff(.cf that A\ll1ericans wpre obtaining an lllHlue adyan-
tage by the e'íclusive contract they haa oht.ainea in these fì::;hf>ries
in Canallian water
.
\..:'=o the rr
n1t uf tll('
(' reprf'::Ot'ntation:--. a IC'ase
was granted to a company, conferring to it the sole right of fishing
at thf'f'f> islan(l
" .Among thf> proHloler:o:. of tht' cOlllpan,\' w<' find
thf> WllIll':-; of 'r. S. Gooding, ] 11'. William Dunlop. Dr. ITamiltoll,
and others, of Goderich. As a result of the granting of thesè exclusive
privilege,.... ('apt. 'rad
le
or was C'omp('l1('d to p:i\f> up the fishing
industry he hall dC'vdop
a nu(l hC'gin ,,'ork anew d:-:t'where. rrhe
lTht> qucstion should hp ('onsilll'r('(l "t'ttlt'd hy what is said in t}1(' fol1o\\"-
ing I',traet frulll t\w rl'purt IIf
\lpX:.
ll1rray. \ssistant Provineial Opologist,
"hf'n rt'fl'ning' to hi",
urvf'"\ of this part of the province in till' year 1848, he
sa.",,: .. \\ïth till' ('
t'pption of a bui1tling which wa!i raisl'd SOU1P years
ago hy a fi,...hing' cOlllpany at Oahl'to. or Fi
hing 181m1lls. Uwrc is not n single
dwpl1ing on .1I1Y part of t11t' f'oa...t :111 thl' \\ay (from tht,
augl'l'n Ri\pr) to
('npp Il1m1."
24
NIAGARA FISHING CO}U)A!'\Y
search for fishing grounds equal1y a::; good was, however, in n1Ín. He
first tried the vicinity of Tobermory, then Cape Croker. 'Vith the
. latter place his name will be forever associated in the local appella-
tion bestowed of "::\IacGregor's Harbor:' :Finally he tried the fish-
eries in the neighborhood of the )Ianitoulin Islands. But none of
these proved as remunerative as his first discovery. This pioneer
of the fishing industri
s of. the county of Bruce lie3 buried near the
mouth of the 'Vhite Fish River, a strealll that flows into the Korth
Channel, )Ianitoulin Islands.
The "
iagara Fishing Company" wa:-; the name borne by the
company above referred to. }'or some reasqn it did not meet with
the ballle success as had rewarded the labors of Capt. l\iacGregor,
so in 18-!H, haying founù a purchaser in the persons of Capt. John
Spence and Capt. ,rm. Kennedy, of Southampton, the company
disposed of its property and privileges for the sum of eight or nine
hundred pounds. These tWD men jointly carried on the fish.:-rie:;
at the Islands for se\eral years, until Capt. Kennedy was called
away, in 1852. to engage in a polar expedition.
The first permanent settlers to take up la11(1 in the county of
Bruce did so in the year 18-!t;. Less than a dozen locations were
made in the whole county in that the first year of actual settlement.
They who then became :-:ettlers well deserve the name of pioneer:::.
::\Iiles and miles of forest lay between them and the most ordinary
com forb of ciyilized life; oyer thesl: long ancl weary miles every
pound of the necessary supplies of food haù to be carried until. after
months of hard labor and much privation, these stout-hearted men had
brought their land into a .condition to produce something on which
they could subsist while the work of underbrushing, chopping, log-
ging and clearing the land went on. To fully appreciate what these
and most of our pioneers have endured, it would be neces
ary to
call upon your imagination and picture yourself in their place.
Let us try to follow one of these stalwart men as he leaves some
outpost of civilized life and starts out into the bush, in search of
a location on which he may settle, clear a few acres of land, erect
a shanty, and thereby establish a squatter's claim to the lot of his
choice. Before he starts he carefully prepares the pack he has to
carry. This contains a supply of provisions, a few necessary cook-
ing and eating utensils, a blanket, an axe, and possibly an auger and
a chisel; some, in addition to these necessaries, took also a gun.
After a weary tramp througb the woods along a surveyor's" blaze,"
""
CN
ë.
.
,
'" ..'( .=.
" t' '"
-<
oJ
\'" To
H
t.- it
Z
0
i
i " -<
f-<
L
t z
\o
I' .' :;;
, 7.
0
-
....
:..
(It
".. 7J
.,
'\
\
\
..
OJ
..>0:
.:5
-
"
!
: S
0
f
'J HE SOUTARY })lul'ì EER
25
a spot that seem:::; somewhat near the ideal he i::; looking for is
reached. The land, he notes, ib coyered with heavy hardwood tim-
ber, a safe indication that the ground on which it grows is good;
the soil, exposed where some ancient monarch of the forest had
stood, but now fallen and uprooted, seems aU that could be desired,
and a spring flowing clear and cool fairly captivates him. Here
his search ceases. After securing his provisions in the hollow of
some tree, so they may be safe from rain Or the depredations of wild
animal::;, he proceeds to do some underbrushing, and erect a shack
or shanty, which has to be made of timber of such a size that he
unaided can lift it into place. Cutting the logs into !Suitable lengths
and notching each one for the corners, he erect::; after mnch hard
work his shanty. A narrow opening is made for a doorway; planks
split from cedar logs are made into a door. The chinks between the
logs are filled with splints and stuffed with moss or clay. The roof
is covered with elm bark. His bed of hemlock boughs is placed in
one of the corners. The table is made by driving four cro
ched sticks
into the earthen floor, on which rest, supported by cross-pieces, a
eouplp of 1:,plit or hewed planks. "
ith a block of wood for a seat,
hi
furniture is complete. The cooking, if it is summer, is carried
on out of doors, gipsy fashion; what is done is of the simplest-flour
mÜ.ed with water ani!. a little salt is made into bannocks or scones,
which are baked in a frying pan. These and a cup of tea are the
common articles of his fare. Dwelling in such a structure, for the
\\ord "house" is hardly applicable to it, the hardy hackwoodsman
proceed::; with the work of making a clearing, persevering thereat
until "ant of provision=-! compels him to go back to thc settlement
for a fresh supply. Only those who have p:\.perienced it know the
inten:-:l' feeling of lonelincss that oppresses the solitary backwood:o:-
man, dwelling :llone ill the bush-no one to spt'ak to, or a::;k for the
most trivial assistance, the souwl of a human voice is longed for, but
,-ainly. Inanimafx> nature in the forest gives forth sounds in the
minor key, hoth soft and soothing; the ringiug sound of the a\.e a..;
it makes t1lP white chips fly is cheery: the rush and crash of 80me
giant of the forest as it falls before the blows of the woodsman is
e\:riting-, yet these voicrs of the backwoods fail to dispel the scnSt"
of loneliness which is OlW of the most trying experif'ncf's of pi01leer
life. T IHliviclual in!-'tancp..: of hardships endured ani I of ditlìculties
oycrcome by pioneers will bp gi\en in relating the settlement of vari-
ous localities within tll(' ('nunt.,. Tlwl"f.fol't'. without furtlwr flrlo
26
THE FIR
T TO SETl'LE IN BRUCE
for the present, we will pass on to consider the disputed topic, to
whom belongs the distinction of being the first pioneer settler in
the county.
Kincardine and Southampton are the only localitics in the county
to claim that the initial settlement of Bruce was made within their
borders. As to which had precedence .we leave the reader to judge,
after a consideration of the most reliable data that the author has
been able to collate.
Shortly after the opening of navigation in 18-18, Capt. :Murray
MacGregor conveyed from Goderich in his sailing vessel, and landed
at the mouth of the Penetangore River, the two pioneer settlers of
that locality, with their effects. These two men were .William
\Vithers, an Englishman, and his brother-in-law, Allan Cameron.!
On a spot a little south of where the Kincardine railway station now
stands, these two men erected a small log house, which for a year
or two did duty as a tavern, kept by Cameron; subsequently it was
used as a store by J olm Keyworth, and as such may be remembered
by many who traded in Kincardine during the" fifties." Foresee-
ing the demand that there would be for lumber as soon as settlers
commenced to take up Ìand,
Ir. Withers commenced the construc-
tion of a mill-dam, which he placed across the river ahout where it
touches the east side of Huron Terrace Street,2 in the town plot
of Kincardine. Here he erected a frame saw mill, at the raising
of which assistance "as rendered by Indians and the few settlers
who had taken up land in the vicinity. :ß1r. A. P. Brough, in his
report of sUfYey, refers to this mill as "a substantial, well-framed
building, which wa., in full operation in the summer of 18:1:9."
When Mr. Withers erected his mill and dam he neglected to
ecure
permission from the Crown to do so; this oversight. rcsulteJ unfor-
tunately for him::elf, he being forced, at a considerable loss, to
remove his newly erected mill from the site where fiI'3t erected to
one on his farm (lot 3, con. 2, S.D.R., Kincardine), just outside
the town plot, the exact date of his doing so the author being un-
a ble to find out.3 1IIr. "Withers had further difficult
T in regard to
lOwing to his dark complexion his name was generally prefixed by the
early settlers with the distinguishing title of "Black," or " The Black Prince."
2At what is marked in original plan of the town as " Mill Block No. 1. II
31n the ('rown J
ands Department records is a copy of a letter to J.
Clark, C.L., agent at Goderich, dated 14th February, 1850, to the following
effect: "You will also warn the person who contemplates purchasing
Ir.
'Vithers' interest in the :Mill-site, that when open for sale the unauthorized
occupation of the land "ill confe-f no rights to pre-emption."
CAPT. JOHN SPEr\CE
,,-
-,
cutting timber on Crown lands. The lands in Penetangore aud
,icinity were not offered for sale by the Crown until
\..ugust, 1851.
:;0 that any timber cut by him prior to that aate was cut on Crown
lands,1 and subject to Crown dues, which the Crown Lands Agent
at Goderich was told (Del'. l-!th, It;48) to take steps to collect or
have the timber seized.
rrhe first settlement at
outhalllpton wa:- maùe by Capt. John
Spence aud Capt. \YiUiam Kennedy. The former of these wa
a
native of the Orkney Islands; the latter was a well educated half-
breed. Both of these men had been in the employ of the Hudson'::;
Bay Company, from which service they had retired in 1t;47 and
taken up their residence at Kingston. Learning of the profitable-
ness of the Lake Huron fisheries and of the opportunities for had-
ing in furs, in the spring of 1848 they left Kingston westward
bound, for the purpo
e of inye:;:tigating for themselves as to the
truth of what they had heard; travelling via Toronto and Lake
Simcoe, at nama they purchased a canoe from the Indians, in which
they journeyed down the Severn River to the Georgian Bay and
thereon to OWI'n. 80u1Hl; from thi
poin1 they tra,"elled on foot by
the Indian trail to the mouth of the
augeell Hiver, arri,-ing therc
in June, lS-lS. ;-;atisfied with the lotation and their prospects there,
they returned to Owen. Sound to obtain supplies; with these they
loaded their canoe and in it proceeded to follow the l"oast line until
the head of Culpoy's Bay wa
rcaclwd. Being old Hudson's Bay
('ompany voyageurs. the nf'("e
sal'Y porhtge to Doat Lakc was e\.pcùi-
tiou!'ly made, the sail do" n Rankin and 8auble Rivers safely accom-
plished, and it took hut a short time to paddle over the waters of
Lake IT uron to the
a ng"eell. Clo:;c to its mouth they piteht'd their
tent find in it r('
ided aU that summer. ßefore \\ inter :::et in they
erected a log h(Jusl
, which served Capt. :O;pen(;e and family as a
residcl1cP for many years. The stay of Capt. Krnnecly in Southamp-
ton r\ trncled over only some fOllr ywrs. T n 1
:)'2. fit the re
pl(':::t of
Larl
' Franklin, he went out in charge of a party in seaff'h of her
husband, Sir John Franklin. the c\rctic discover('!" and na\ igator.
In 1850 Capt. Spcnce brought his wife to his new home at South-
1Extract from lC'ttf'r of tlw C'ommis<;ioner of Crown JAana" to H. Clark,
C.L.. al!cllt at (;ockri(.h. datC'd
eptC'mher 2f1th, 1848: "I take this oppor
tllnit
. of inforlllinl! yon that the road leading to J.Jake Huron, throup-h the
)1(>W townships in thp north of tIll' Huron Distri<'t, will not he carripd
throngh this
'ear, aud it is not the intf'ntion of the Govf'rnmpnt to ofTt']"
for ",all' at III"I'-'f'nt the Crown LaJl(I-I in that section of the province."
28
FIRST SETTLER
OX THE FREE GRAXTS
.1lnpton, where they continued to reside until the death of l'apt.
Spence on October 13th, 1904. .Jlrs. Spence, surviving her hu::;-
banel, is to-day one of the oldest living of the early female settler
?f
the county of Bruce.
Early in the faU of 184b John C. Digman, a (}erman by birth,
settled in Kincardine Township, on lot 3, first concession north of
the Durham Road, he being the pioneer settler on the free grant
lands. The date of his -;ettlement shows that he must have acted
promptly after the issuing of the offer of the Crown. How long
)Ir. Digman resided on the lot he located the writer. i::; not able to
say, certainly long enough to have the Crown patent issued to him,
the date of which is Dec-ember 4th, 1851. Some time after that he
returned to the county of 'Vaterloo, from whence he originally came.
The next settler on the Durham Roaù was John Beatty. a young
Scotchman. He was accompanied by his sister, :Uiss Beatty, who is
entitled to the distinction of being, in all probability, the first
woman to undertake the hardships of the bush in the county of
Bruce. The facts here related concerning :Mr. and Miss Beatty have
been supplied by
lajor '"Villiam Daniel, who, when he settled in
Kincardine Township in October, 1848 (on lot 23, 'con. 1, :K.D.R.),
found that they were his nearest neighbors. The Beattys had éome
on foot from Owen Round, each carrying a pack. Their route had
been by the Indian trail {known later as the "Gimby trail.') to
the mouth of the Saugeen, thence by the beach to Kincardine. They
pitched their tent towards the rear of lot 14, ron. 1,
.D.H., on
the bank of the creek, it being the attraction that decided them to
locate there. "\Vhen the stock of provisions in our two camps
were almost exhausted," the )Iajor goes on to relate, "I shared my
last loaf with them and startecl for my father's home in \Yaterloo
for further supplie:-:. e
pecting to finù my neighbors on my return.
Beatty had arranged with a man who was going to Goderich for
the 'purchase of a supply of flour. The man to whom the con-unis-
sion was entrusted made other use of the money, consequently no
flour was forthcoming.
\s winter was at hand, the outlook for the
Reattys ,,-as alarmin:r. Feeling discouraged and disheartened. they
decided to forsake bush life and return to Owen Sound.
\ young
man named Dick Eaton, ,,'ho was employed by "Tm. \Yithers a
(IX
teamster, accompanieel them on their journey, which was over the
:;;.ame route they had so lahoriously travelled not many weeks pre-
ViOllSly. Thp weather was ('01(1: through the .:tream
to "hich they
PIO
EEH.S OF KI:XCARDINE
29
came they waded, carrying 11i:s
Beatty, except at the :::;augeell, O\-er
which they were ferried by Indians in a canoe. Eat()n unfortunately
cut his foot with an axe, and had to be left in charge of the Indians."
During the summer of 1848 the small settlement at Kincardine
was increased by the incoming of some dozen other ðettlerð, who
took up land either at the town plot, on the free grants, or on the
lake shore to the north of the town. _\..mong these were Donald,
\.lexander and John
lcCaskill, James and _\..lexander
lunroe,
Anthony Copp, Alex. .McKay, George :McLeod, \Vm. Dowell and
Patrick Downie. The last-mentioned opened a tavern on the site
of the l{ightmeyer Salt Block. During the fall of this year a
steamer laden with supplies for the Bruce )lineð was burnt some-
where out in the lake. The wreckage from it, consisting of flour
and provisions, drifted ashore, and proved a perfect godsend to those
early pioneers, who that winter had to purchase from their slender
means all their supplies in Goderich, added to which was the tim
and labor of bringing these over the intervening thirty-si
miles,
absolutely devoid of anything that might be calleel a road for most
of the distance.
Early in the year 1849 settlers in increased nlllllhers took up
lands in the vicinity of Kincardine, of '" hOlll quite a number sur-
vi,pe. One of these is Rlijah :ðliller. The Gth February of that
year is the day when he, then but a boy, first
aw Kincardine. He,
with his father, mother, uncle and aunt, were driven oyer the ice
from Goderich by Capt. Thomas Dancey. To him it seemed that
nothing was to be seen but wood::; e,"rrywlwre. TIH' clearing
that
had been made werp
o :-:mall antl scattrred that the forest appeared
to have lost nothing of its unhroken Ya::itne
s. 11r. 11illrr, spn.,
ettled on lot 12, con. 1, ).. D.H. That winter he maJe a small
clearing anil thereon raised a
mall crop the foHm' ing summer.
Capt. Duncan Rowan is another "forty-niner," "ho when alive
was e, e1. ready to speak of pioneer clays. If e l"('<leheù Kincardine
on Fehruary 18th, 18-19, accompanied by his brothpr John and his
sister, afterwards Mrs. 11cLcod. 1 They put up for the llight at
Patrick Downie's. There they learned of Stoney Island. three miles
farther north, as à place where small vessels might fintl a ha'-en.
rrhis, to one possessing the instincts and training of a sailor. wa.;:
IThe mother of \ngu,", '\rd.{'od. one of Canada's uotNl profp..,.innal
hicyclists. His mil{' with flying start in 1 minute 46 and a frnC'tinn oi
)-cconds
till stands as a ]"{'cortl on Canadian t.racks.
30
PIONEER:::; OF HUH.O
attractive; ill addition, good farming land was to be hall in the
adjacent Lake Range, already surveyed.
\.ppreciating these advan-
Í<'lges the party decided that on some of these farIll lots they would
settle. N ext day they yoked their oxen and journeyed 011 to the
spot that they had decided UpOll. Before long the) had erected
near the beach, a log honse, the site of which can he Idélltified. by the
ruins of the chimne). It was a familiar sight to all who passed
up and down on the Bcach Road in the "fifties.'-
In the roll of the early pioneers of the COUllty tht nallies of
those who settled in the township of Huron must nOl be lorgotten,
the date of their settlement being a,s early as many of those already
referred to. The ::;urvey of the first concession and the Lake Range
in that township in 1847, a::; mentioned in a previou::i chapter,
had prepared the way for those desirous of taking up lunJ. An
exactness as to date of settlement is possible re::;pecting the township
of Huron not to be had so authoritively in the case of other town-
ship::;, as it is based upon a report made b} E. H. Jonle's, P.L.
., who
after completing the survey of that part of the township untouched
by A. Wilkinson, made a list of all settlers on the Lake Range,
giving the date of settlement and extent of improvements made up
to the date of hi;:; report, Sept. 11th, 18'51. From thÜ, report we
learn that. in Uctober, 18-!cl, 110ni::; Lizart1 settled on lot::; 47 anù 48,
Lake Range, and wa::; follow ell in thp )Iay of 18-19 by .Abrahalll
Holmes, 'Vm. Blair, Peter "
anamaker, James Donnelly and Davi,l
Walden. The fall of the same year added to the number of settlms
in the persons of Joseph and Christopher R. Barker, John Emmer-
ton, Thomas and Elisha Barnes. The foregoing names and date
are beyond dispute, but it is saiù that Louis Bellemore. a .French-
Canadian, was the first to locate in Huron, and the summer of 1848
is given as the time when he "squatted" on lot 19, 1;>eside Pin
River, where he made some improvements and kept a tavern. In
the following spring he sold his squatter's rights to David Walden
and moved to lot 36. and at the time of E. R. Jones' report, he had
made a clearing thereon of thirteen acres in extent. l Among the
foregDing names that of (Capt.)
\.braham Holmes deserves mort'
than a passing' mention. He owned and sailed a dng--out canoe of
IBellemore at one time had been in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany, and had married the daughter of an Indian chief. The sign of the
tavern which he kept had paintf'd thf'rf'oll. in Tfltlwr rude artistic style, a "bottle
find a glass, with the motto, "A French Tavern."
THE FREE GR.\XTS
3l
unusual size, having a carrying capacity of five barrels of flour in
addition to its crew of two men, \\' ho, using oars and sails, brought
many a settler with their effects from Goderich to Penetangore. For
several years this vessel sailed regularly on this route.
Other pioneers took up land in Huron in 1t)49, be::Üdes those on
the lake :-:hore. The fir!:it concession recei ,'ed its first settlers in
October of that year, who located near what is now Lochalsh, Dun-
can
lcUae, Finlay
lcLennan and
\..lex. )IcRae, with their familie
,
coming in at that time. One cannot but admire the courage of thes
men and women in taking up land miles óack from the lake, in the
midst of the bush. If severe hardships fell to the lot of thoi;e who
had the advantage of water transit to reach their base of supplie:-:,
how much more seVf're must have been the hardships endured by
these families. It is pleasing to be able to record that" Big" Dun-
can )IcRae is still living, and has pa
sed his jubilee on the san'e
farm lot.
The rapidity with which the county of Bruce was settled may
ue largely attribute<l to the offer made by the government of a free
grant. to ac-tual bettlers, of a fifty acre farm loP on either of the
first two concessions north or south of the Durham Road. This wa
al"companied with the promi::ìt
that this road would be cleared and
opelll'd up by the Government. The third concessions were at first
intended to be held for sale to those who had obtained a grant. This
intention was not, however, adherpd to. The prospect of purchasing
additional land had the effect of inducing many to locate on the
second conecssions, doing so under the condition that they were to
open up the ro
d between the second and third concessions unaided
by the ,!!O\ermnent; and until this was satisfactorily done they
could not obtain the patent to their grant.
'rhe notic(' that the "free grants-" were open for location was
made in _\Ugll:;t. 18-1.8, and renewed in June, 1849. The mode of
taking up the
f' g-l'ant:.: and the conditions attached before a patent
from the Crown therpto (,{Hlhl he obtainf'd, are given in Appendices
D and E, but will here be related in a more detailed manner.
.\ ppr,;;ollal applic'ation 2 to the Crown Lands \gent at Durham,
'
\ltì lots in all were Sù uffered in the townships in the county of Bruce.
2'1'1H' applicants were 80 numerous in the !;Ummer of lS-t9 and 1850 that
they could with difficulty find accommodation in Durham, and were glad to
sleep anywhere, as long as they had a roof over their llf'nd!'!.
32
THE LAND-SEEKER
the late :Mr. George J ackson,1 was necessary. )11'. Jackson gaye to
each applicant a list consisting of certain lots not taken up. These
lists did not contain many lots, and were drawn out as far as pos-
sible with a view of preyenting two men inspecting and selecting
the same lands. :Mr. Jackson also planned to have people of a con-
genial type settle in close proximity; in this he was assisted by
those whom he had acting in the sense of sub-agents, from whom
the land-seekers were instructed to receive directions as to the
locality of the lots on their lists. In Kincardine Township Allan
Cameron and Thomas Harris so acted, and in Brant rrhomas Adair
and William Johnston-who received his sobriquet of "King J olm-
ston" in consequence from the hands of :Mr. Jackson, a title that
clung to him for life. The applicant started off from Durham with
the list in his pocket and in his pack a supply of provisions suffi-
cient to last until his return to the clearings. Striking out along
the Durham Line, which at the first was only a blazed path through
the woods, after a good four hours' tramp he would reach the
Saugeen RÏ\-er just west of the county line,2 at Buck's Crossing,
where the yillage of Hanover now stands. If the water were
low he could wade across the river, otherwise he had to follow up
the stream in a northerly direction for about a mile to where the
mill-dam was afterwards erected. There a jam of driftwood had
formed, over which he crossed. This jam continued to be thus used
until the goyernment had constructen. a bridge on the line of the Dur-
ham Road, in the fall of 1850. The land-seeker now entered upon a
weary march pursuing his search for a suit.able lot, sleeping at
nights in the open when distant from any settler's shanty, or meet-
IGeorge .Jackson, altbougll residing at Durham, was'dosel", connected
\\ith the early days of Bruce and \Yalkerton. His name was also well
known to all settlers along the length of the Durham Road. The few con-
densed particulars of his life llere g"Ï\ en are, therefore, quite in order.
George Jackson was born at Hutton, Yorkshire, England, in December,
IR09. He came to ('anada in 1844. The appointment of ('rown Land Agent
(see Appendix E) for the Free Grant., in Bruce and Grey was conferred
upon him in August. 1848. He was elected member of parliament in 1854
for the county of Grey, being the first representative from that county.
\Vith the exception of two parliaments, he continued to represent that con-
stituency until 1882. ::\1r. Jackson exercised discretion and judgment in
allotting settlers their free grants in Bruce, and was much respected and
admired b
' both friend:'! and OppOlH'nt
. He died l\Iarch 6th, 1885.
2This part of the Durham line was chopped. but not logged, during the
summer of 1849.
.
ALT.-\X f'.UIER()
p.26 'Y\I. ""ITH}<;HS
The two pioneer settlers in the County of Bruce
(;}<;owa: JA("K
o' p.3:!
Crown Land Agcnt forthc.' FI"cC Grants"
p.26
L\1'II'" B. 1f'''I''''
p. '{I
NOTICE THAT" FREE GRA:STS" WERE OPES
33
ing with a warm and kindly hospitality if he were so fortunate as to
reach one. At last, having made his selection, he returned to Dur-
ham, to have it registered to him. From one to three month's grace
were allowed before he commenced to fulfil the conditions and make
the improvements required by the Crown. rrhese stipulated con-
tinuous settlement. the clearing of twelve acrcs in not less than four
years, and the erection of a (lw
lling house of at least 18 x 24 feet
in dimensions. These terms complied with, a patent to the land
was granted by the Crown. Conditions so easy were in many cases
performed long before thc four years' limit of time expircd, as is
instanced in Kincardine Township, where to settlers on the" free
grants" patents to the number of a dozen or more were issued in
the year 1851. It is possible, however, that politics were at the
bottom of this early i
sue of patents, as in those days a voter was
liable to be called upon to produce his title deeds when he tendered
his vote for a member of parliament; and it has been asserted, by
parties who should know, that only tho:;c men who were known
to vote right received their patents early.
The fir:-:t notice of the opening of the" frce grants" was issued
by Crown Land Agent George Jackson, as already stated, in August,
1848. rrhis action on his part secms to have been premature, as we
find that the Commissioner of Crown Lands wrotc to him under
date of October 12th, 18-18, notifying him, "That neither location
tickets can issue, nor sales be confirmed, until the surveys are com-
pleted and the Department be in a position to make rccords." This
was followed, June 13th, 18-19, by another letter instructing him
to make returns of lorations on the Durham Road " in the township
of Brant, the surveys of which are completed," in order that loca-
tion tichets may he issucd. Also," That to comply with the statute
pa
sed at last session (12 Vic., chap. 31., sec. 4.), to suspend for
the prcsent the salc on thc third Ranges of the 150 acres adjoining
the free grants of 50 acrcs." rrhe notice of thc opening of the
"free grants" secms to havc bccn rcnewed on the rf'ceipt of this
last letter. During the interval a numbèr of squatters had settled
upon the free grant lots, and seem to ha yc succe('(lcd in having
their namcs cntcrerl as locate
in anticipation of the Depnrbnclltal
regulations. The first wcre thosc in Kincardine Township, already
referred to. :Early in. the spring of 18-1:fJ intending settlers com-
3
34
PIOXEERS OF BRANT
menced to flow into Brant. The first to do so was Joseph L. Lamont,l
Thomas Weir and John Brown. This was early in J\lay, 1849. On
presenting themselves at }Ir. Jackson's office he told them that as
they were the first prospectors they might select any lots they thought
best. They spent three days in the bush engaged in making their
selections. Returning to :Mr. Jackson to register the lots chosen,
they met Thomas Jasper and Abraham Buck, who formed the second
contingent of would-be settlers, preparing to leave and do as they
had done, select a farm lot in the bush. These two did not go as
far into the woods as the first party had done, Mr. Jasper selecting
lands but a short distance west of the county line, while Buck took
up a lot just east of it. His name is associated with what is now
the village of Hanover, the locality at first bearing the name of
"Buck's Crossing," and, after the erection of the bridge, as "Buck's
Bridge." The next party of prospectors to enter Brant consisted of
William Johnston, Charles Nelles and James Purdy. These men
followed almost immediately those already mentioned, the date
when their lots 2 were allotted to them being :May 22nd, 1849. Purdy
did enough work on hIS lots that spring to ensure his claim, then
returned to the settlements, where he died during the summer. His
lots were taken up for a second time that fall by George Neely.
William Johnston spent the summer clearing land and erecting a
fair-sized shanty for his family, which he brought into the bush in
the following November. As all pretensions to a road or tract through
the woods ceased at Bucks Crossing, he constructed a good-sized
raft of logs at the jam on the Saugeen already referred to, on which
he placed his wife, two daughters 3 and two of his sons, Andrew and
Samuel. Jos. L. Lamont and Geo. 'Vt:ir were also on the raft, to
act as crew. The number of persons, with its cargo of household
effects and farm implements, made the raft unwieldy, resulting in
its being stranded in one of the rapids that it attempted to pass
IMr. Lamont must share the honor of being the pioneer of Brant with
his wife, née Elizabeth Jasper, who was the first white woman to enter
the town&hip, although not the first to enter to reside there permanently
(that honor belongs to Mrs. James Bacon). While still Miss Jasper she
paid her father a visit, while he was engaged in making a clearing on his
lot, and to do so had to cross the Saugeen on ox-back.
2J ohnston, in his own name and that of his sons, took up lots 5, 6 and 7,
on both concessions, north and south of the Durham Road. Nelles, in like
manner! took up lots 1 and 2, concession 1, S.D.lb., and Purdy, lots 1 and 2,
conceSSIOn 1, N.D.R.
8Who were subsequently married to William Walker and 'Villiam C.
foffatt, respectively.
" KING" JOHNSTON
35
through. As soon as their position was realized, the two men set
to work and put together the waggon that formed part of the cargo;
on this the women folks were drawn to the shore. The raft so light-
ened now floated, and was successfully navigated down the river as
far as Silver Creek. There it was met by :Mr. Johnston and his
sons, Abraham, David, William and Robert, who had walked through
the bush driving the cattle. Some Indians were camping near by;
these Mr. Johnston engaged to go up the river in a canoe and fetch
the women folks and :Mr. Lamont, who had remained with them.
From Silver Creek to Johnston's Corners 1 the axe had frequently
to be used to make the way at all possible.
Irs. Johnston and
some of the children were the guests that night at James Bacon's,
his family having moveù in shortly before. To .Mrs. Bacon is due
the honor of being the first white woman to take up her residence in
Brant.
About the time \Vm. Johnston took up the free grant lots he
afterwards settled upon, another prospecting party, six in number,.
entered Brant. In this party were Thomas Adair, Kenneth Kemp
and Adam Clement. The latter quickly made his selection (whicb
were lots 51, 52, 53, con. 1, N.D.R., and 53,54, con. 1, S.D.R.),
not considering it worth while to push on any great distance into
the bush. Mr. Adair prospected further and was influenced in his
choice of lots (43 to 46, con. 2, N.D.R.) on the "North line" by
the expectation of purchasing more land across the road in the
third concession. On registering his location ( J unc 3rd, 1849) he
found but sixteen lots had been taken up in Brant. :Mr. Adair,
accompanied by his brother John, returned to make a clearing on
their lots in the following September. Being e
pert woodsmen, they
soon had a comfortable shanty erected, in which they resided until
the snow came, when they returned to their families near Peter-
borough to complete arrangements to bring them to their new home
in the woods of Bruce. The journey was long and toilsome. The
sleighs on which their effects were packed could be brought no fur-
ther than Buck's Crossing; from that point everything had to be
t;houldered and carried through the snow over the weary miles that
lay between them and their shanty. Thcir mother was an invalid;
1<1 Johnston's Corners" is the name that wi11 always be given to the
corner at which Mr. Johnston located. He there, in 1854, erected a tavern,
8ubsequ('ntly burnt down. His son, Nathaniel, born June, 1850, was the ftret
white ('hiJd born in Brant. Mr. Johnston's death took place September
22nd, 1870.
ð6
PIONEERS OF GREEKOCK
it was therefore necessary to improvise a :sedan chair, on which she
was carried over what was but a footpath in the deep snow. Bu\
slow progress could be made, and half a day was occupied in reach-
ing the small but hospitable shanty of Adam Clement, in which
sixteen persons were accommodated that night. N ext morning the
journey was completed, and they reached their own shanty, two
miles further back in the woods.
The number of settlers who came into Brant in 18-19 the writer
is not able to state. Among them were the following, in addi-
tion to those elsewhere mentioned: Archibald, .Alexander and
Ioses
Stewart, John Lundy, Thomas Todd, Joseph L. Lamont, John Brown,
'Villiam and Johnston
mith, William Jasper, Edward Boulton,
Patrick Godfrey, Richard Everett, and others.
In the year 18-19 lands were also taken up in Greenock, where
the village of Riversdale now stands, by two French-Canadian::;,
Joseph Chartrand and John Caskanette. These men were in the
employ of _\.. P. Brough, P.L.S., during the survey of the Durham
Road, the township of Brant and the E10ra Road. The exact date
of their settling on the lots they F:elected is uncertain. The author
has conversed with them on the subject, but found their recollec-
tions lacking in definitf'ness. Goderich was their base of supplies,
a point more than fifty miles distant.
A tragic incident marked the early days of the settlement of
the Durham Road, too often repeated in varying details during the
clearing away of the forest here and in other parts of the province.
Thomas Jasper, as is stated in a previous paragraph, was in the
second company of prospectors that entered Brant. He then took
up lot 65, con. 1, N.D.R., as well as other lots for various members
of his family. Previous to entering the bush he had resided at Dur-
ham, or Bentinck, as it was known in those days. It was in June,
1849, when, accompanied by his sons, Thomas and Charles, he com-
menced making his clearing. Satisfactory progress was being made.
One morning in the following month the father and his two sons
started out to do some chopping before breakfast. The young men
were engaged in felling a tree, and the father, not far off, was cut-
ting some underbrush, a small knoll hiding him from their sight.
From the sound of his axe they knew that he was close at hand;
they therefore called out to him to look out, when the tree they were
chopping was almost ready to fall, repeating it a little later on,
which warnings he answered to. The tree felled, the young men
TRAGEDY OF THE FOREST
37
as they started for their shanty to get breakfast called out to the
father to come along. Receiving no reply they felt alarmed. A
search was made, which revealed the shocking sight of his dead body
held under a wide-spreading branch of the tree they had just cut
down. He had been struck and killed instantly, the first of many
a pioneer in Bruce to meet death as he wrought at making a home
for himself in the woods. His body lies buried not far from where
he died.
In closing this chapter on the pioneers, the author wishes it to
be borne in mind that the names mentioned are of those who came
into Bruce prior to the year 1850, who came so early in the his-
tory of the county that not even one township within its boundaries
had been suryeyed into farm lots. Thousands followed in their
footsteps, of whom many will be referred to when the history of the
yarious municipalities i
taken up, as their pioneers. The author
does not underestimate what labor and hardships these later ones
have experienced. But he does bespeak a special word of apprecia-
tion for the pioneers of 1848 and 1849, men who 'entered a track-
less forest, and who then and there laid the foundation of the
county's development and prosperity.
"'Yhen the hill of toil was steepest,
"-hen the forest-frown was deepest,
Poor, but young, you hastened here;
Came where solid hope was cheapest-
Came-a pioneer.
)Iade the western jungles view
CiviIiLation's charms;
Grasped n home for yours and you
From the lean tree-arms.
Toil had never cause to doubt you-
Progress' path ;you helped to clear;
But to-day forgets about you,
-\nd the world ridec; on without you-
Sleep, old pioneer ! JJ
-1Vill Carleton.
CHAPTER IY.
THE INFANT COUNTY.
1850-1856.
THAT there was a time when the "County of Bruce" was all
unknown designation is a statement to be readily admitted. To fix
the date when as a corporate municipality it came into existence
and first bore its present title is what this chapter will endeavor to
set forth, as well as to narrate the beginnings of its municipal life.
The facts so far presented to the reader have largely anteceded
the existence of the municipality of and even the name of the county
of Bruce, which was bestowed, as we shall see, some time after the
inflow of settlers had well set in. Prior to this, as related in a
previous chapter, the appellation of the "Queen's Bush" was com-
monly applied to the unsettled lands lying north of the Huron Dis
trict, the larger portion of which ultimately comprised the county
of Bruce. TIns same territory is described more formally in an
Act of Parliament 1 that provides for the administration of justice
therein as, "That portion of the province lying to the northward of
the District of Huron, bounded on the north by Lake Huron and
the Georgian Bay, which is not included in either of the Districts
of Wellington or Simcoe, (which) is declared, for all purposes of
and connected with the administration of justice, civil and criminal,
to form part of the District of Huron."
An effort was early'made (the particulars of which are given 2 in
a foot-note) to have this territory formed into a county with Owen
'9 Vie., Chap. 47, passed May 23rd, 1846.
ZCopy of notice appearing in The Canada Gazette, August 26th, 1848:
" Notice is hereby given, that application will be made to the Legislature, at
the next sitting of Provincial Parliament, by the inhabitants of the town-
ships of St. Vincent, Euphrasia, Collingwood, Osprey and Artemesia, in the
Simcoe District, and of the to\\llships of Sydenham, Derby, Holland, Sullivan,
Glenelg, Bentinck, Normanby, Egremont Proton and Melancthon, in the
Wellington District, for an Act to be pas
"ed to form these townships into a
county; including the unsurveyed lands west of the said townships and ex-
tending to Lake lIuron and the Indian Te.rritory and Islands contiguous
thereto, and that thf' town of Svdenham, on the Owen Sound. be the county
town of said county." .
38
BIRTHDAY OF THE COU..\TY
39
Sound as the county town, the agitation for which, however, proved
aborti ve.
J ames Bruce, Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, wa::; Governor-
General of Canada at the time the" Queen's Bush" was surveyed.
It was out of compliment to him that his family name was bestowed
upon the new county, which was brought into existence by authority
of an Act of Parliament,! passed May 30th, 18-19, dividing the dis-
trict of Huron into three counties, Huron, Perth and Bruce. This
\.ct defines the boundaries of each of the new counties, and goes on
to say: "The counties remaining nevertheless united until the
union be dissolved, so soon as it shall appear by the census that any
junior county contains a population of fifteen thousand, on order
of the Governor-in-Council and upon petition of two-thirds of the
Reeves." The County Division Substitution Act, passed at the same
session of Parliament, to abolish the old territorial district divisions
within the province,2 names the townships that were to comprise the
county of Bruce as follows: The townships of Arran, Brant, Bruce,
Carrick, Culross, Elderslie, Greenock, Huron, Kincardine, Kinloss
and Saugeen. While" All the peninsular tract of land, lying to
the north-ward of the townships of Derby, Arran and Saugeen and
bptween Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay and known as the Indian
Reserve, shall be annexed to. and form part of, the county of
Waterloo."S,4 These two last-mentioned Acts of Parliament came
into force on the 1st January, 1850, which date is, therefore, the
birthday of the county of Bruce, for under the terms of these Acts
of Parliament it on that day became a municipality, although only
the junior one of the united counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce.
.With the abolishing of district divisions within the province, and
contemporaneous with the advent of Bruce among the municipalities
thereof, came also a change in the mode of municipal government.
112 Vie., Chap. 9G.
'Prior to this and kindred Acts coming into force, the districts \"ithin
the provincf'. comprisf'd the limits of the r('spective I'Ihrievalties within which
Courts of Assize, etc., were held, each district, subsequent to January 1st,
IR4:!, being a corporate ml1ncipality. The counties comprised the political
divisions for. parliaJl1f'ntary r('presentation, and the limits wherein registra-
tion of titles to propprty were made, there being a registrar for f':tch county.
BThe county of Watf'rloo in 1849 comprised the same territory, and was
contf'rminate with thf' District of Wellin,Q'ton, extending from the Georgian
Bay, in the north. to the township of \Vilmot aq its Routherly limit.
fThe Sauge('n Ppnin<;ula lwC'ame a part of the county of Bruce by 14 and
15 Yic., Chap. ;). pa!<sf'd .\ngu
t 2nd, 1851.
40
EARLY FORMS OF LOCAL GOVERN
ENT
The earliest form of local government that existed in Upper
Canada was that administered by the Quarter Sessions, held in the
several district towns, the members of which were the jU::itices of
the peace within the district. This body pOlSsessed, besides judicial
powers, administrative, and to some extent legislative functions.
This system of tocal government continued in force until 1842,
when district municipal councils were established,l the members
of which represented the several townships in the district and were
elected by the ratepayers. The district council performed the work
now undertaken by county, township and village councils, levying
taxes for local improvements and school purposes. Annual township
meetings were held, at which the freeholders and householders elected
the following officers: a clerk-treasurer, assessor, collector, overseer of
highways and pound-keeper. These officials, before the passing of the
District Councils Act, acted under the direction of the Quarter
Sessions. There were also two township wardens; these acted" as
a Corporation to represent the whole inhabitants of the township"
in any action at law, hut had no legislative powers or functions.
The change indicated in the mode of municipal government,
spoken of in a preceding paragraph, affected the county of Bruce
when on )Ionday, January 28th, 1850, the first session of the Coun-
cil of the united counties' of Huron, Perth and Bruce ,v:as held at
Goderich, when Dr. 'Vm. Chalk, the Reeve of Tuckersmith, was
elected warden, and Alfred ,V. Otter appointed county clerk. Among
the members of the Council then and there assembled was Thomas
Johnson. who sat as reeve for the municipality of the" United
townships of Ashficld anr1 'Vawanosh, in the county of Huron, and
all the townships in the county of Bruce,"2 which municipal union
had beell brought about by a by-law of the Huron District Council,
passed at a special meeting held October 2nd, 1849, called to make
the nef'essary preparatory arrangements for the new orrlcr of muni-
lThe first meeting of the Huron District Council, it being the council
that had charge of the territory afterwards comprised in the county of
Bruce, then but the" Queen's Bush," was held February 8th, 1842. The 'first
warden was Dr. \Yi11iam Dunlop, )I.P.P., and Daniel Lizars, the first muni-
cipal clerk for the district.
2This pnormous stretch of country, so formed into onf' municipality. had
its Township Council composed, in 1850, of Thomas Johnston, reeve, and Coun-
cillors John Hawkins, William Graham, Jeremiah Flynn and John King. The
clf'rk and treasurer was Michael Healy. In 1851 Charles Girvin was reeve.
and John Strachan, clerk-treasurer. Not one of those here mentioned was a
resident of the ('mInty of Bruce. The author has been told that the settlers
in Bruce sent J\ lIan Cameron to this meeting of the Council as their repre-
sentative, this being unauthorized by either statute or by-law. His claims
as a representative were not recognized.
THE COUNTY BUT AN APPENDAGE
41
cipal government required by the Acts of Parliament just passed.
The idea of forming a municipality by a union of town
hips in two
different counties was a blunder, productive of trouble that was not
smoothed out until a couple of years had passed. It is not difficult
to surmise why the District Council formed the union of townships
indicated in the foregoing lengthy title. The 1\hlllicipal Corpora-
tion Act of 1849 1 provided that townships having less than one hun-
dred resident freeholders or householders were to be attached to
some adjacent township in the same county. As the required num-
ber were not to be found in the whole of the county of Bruce, the
District Council thought that it was acting within the limits of its
authority in attaching the whole county of Bruce to the two adjacent
townships of Ashfield and \Yawanosh. 2 The settlers in Bruce thought
otherwise, and after obtaining legal advice they repudiated the
by-law forming them into a municipality conjunctly with the town-
ships of Ashfield and \Vawanosh, and refused to pay taxes either
to the township or the county. This position was maintained until
the separation from the two townships in Huron was effected, after
a nominal union which had lasted for the years 1850 and 1851.
The attitude of the settlers in Bruce in refusing to pay taxes was
sustained, and it was not till 1852 that taxes for township purposes
were first collected in the county of Bruce, and 1853, when the first
levy for county rates was paid. An assessment of the county was
attempted in 1850, but only Kincardine and Huron Townships were
included therein; Brant, where, as we have seen in a preceding
chapter, a small settlement was commenced in 1849, was not assessed.
The statistics 3 ohtained by this assessment are most interesting,
revealing the actual progress made by the settlers during their first
year in the bush, and are given in a foot-note.
112 Vie. Chap. 81.
2
he r{'('l
rren('e of si
nilar mistakes was obviated by a ('hange made by
ParlIament In the folloWIng August, 13 and 14 Vie., Chap. 64, Sec. 8.
JRTATISTICS FROM THE ASSESSMENT OF 1
;jO.
Tp. Kincardine. Tp. Huron. Total.
Population ............".. ..
ß
Il-t :r;ß
.\('re8 uncll'r crop .............. II 4
!i:1
"'heat, in lm
hcls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3\1 I j.')
\I.')
Baril')' , " . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
n 20
Oats, . .. . .. . . . . .. . .
()
II 40
( '01"11, ' . fif) !if)
)'ota t oe!i . ........ I SO 3\1,') -tH.')
Buck\\hellt, " .............. ..
n
n
Turnips, " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3j.') :r;;"i
laple InIgar, in lh!'l.....,.,.".. :
() 4,')0 -t
O
The ah?,'e to" IIshipM are the unly to" nMhips mentioned in this l1!oses.sm('nt roJl.
Brallt and Saugeen should ha"e 1.een included, hut \\ em not.
42
THE FIRST REE\-ES
Although, Qwing to the aboye mentioned blunder of the Huron
District Council, an enforced collection of taxes could not be legally
made in the townships within the county of Bruce, the settlers were
not content to escape the burden of taxation, the penalty being loss
of municipal rights and privileges. A petition was therefore pre-
sented to the Council of the United Counties in December, 1850, ask-
ing that the townships in Bruce be separated from _\.shfield and
Wawanosh and formed into a separate municipality. This the coun-
cil declined to do that year; owing to legal technicalities. The
petition was, however, complied with in 1851.
At the first session of the united counties council in 1852 there
was present Francis \Valker, who sought to sit as reeve for the town-
ship of Kincardine and the remaining townships within the county
of Bruce. He was not, however, permitted to take his seat, owing
to some irregularity which had occurred regarding his election, the
nature of which the authQr has not been able to trace, beyond that
ët protest as to his right to hold the office was entered. That the
vacancy might be filled, the Council direct.ed the warden to issue a
warrant for a fresh election at Kincardine, and "that l\fr. Francis
Walker be returning officer." The result of this election was that
\Villiam Rastall was elected reeve. To him belongs the honor of
being the first representative from Bruce to sit at the County Council.
The date when he took his seat as such was l\lay 3rd, 1852.
The municipality of which :Mr. RastaU was the head comprised
all the townships in the county of Bruce, Kincardine being the
senior township. This municipal union lasted during the years
] 852-3. The Council thereof for the year 1852 consist
d of 'Vm.
Rastall, reeve, and councillors, Rev. Wm. Fraser, Francis Walker,
Wm. Blair and Thos. Harris. The meetings of Council were always
held in Kincardine. The clerk was Christopher R. Barker, to whom
was deputed the duty of appointing pathmasters
it being impossible
for the Council to have a personal knowledge of the best available
men living throughout a territory as large as the eleven townships
lying within the municipality, so :Mr. Barker travelled the length
and breadth of the county to lllake the necessary appointments.
The Council for 1853 differed but little, as regards its members,
from that of the preceding year, excepting that the Rev. 'Yilliam
Fraser held the position of reeve of the municipality,! while C. R.
IFrancis \Valker was elected deputy reeye in 1853. but did not sit in the
County Council, as that body considered his certificate of election irre!!Ular,
owing to thl' roll not being certified to as a true copy of the names ;f the
householders and freeholders in the united townships.
THE FlUST TAXES
43
Barker remained as the clerk-treasurer. In a footnote l are to be
found the names of the assessors and collectors for the years 1852-3
and of the ta:xes collected in the latter year.
Without exception the members of the Council of "The United
Townships in the County of Bruce," as given in the preceding para-
graph, resided in either Kincardine or Huron 'Townships. The
councillors being all from one section of the county, it is easy to
perceive how the actions of the Council might be biased by local
interests. The incident about to be- related proved that in some
instances, at least, this was the case.
Those who settled at Kincardine and in the immediate vicinity
were from the first strongly impressed with the desirability of hav-
ing a harbor con8tructed at that point (in accordance with the plan
suggested in the original survey of the town-plot), which would per-
mit vessels to load or únload safely in any weather. This sentiment
was, of course, from local interests, one in which the individual
members of the Townships Council participated. Blinded by a strong
1 N A:\IES OF Tilt: ASSESSORS A
D COLLECTORS OF THE U
ITED TOW:-iSIlII'S FOR THE
Y&ARS IS.,:! A:-iD IH.,:3, \:-iD OF THE LEVY }"OR TxxEs }"OR TilE L\.TTER YE.\R.
Total Taxes
ARsesBor. Collector. Levied in 1853.
IH.,:!........ Wm. Daniel. ....... Wm. DanieL,..
H\.,:
...... .(;eo. Ryckman....... Wm. DanieL... .. ..
lH:J2,. .. . . .. Hector Lamont ...... 'Ym. Haniel.......,
IH5:L . , . . .
. .J olm Guest .. . . . . . . . .
I. Me Lennan . . . . . .
lH.32.. ....John Guest ... .. ...JohnGuest........
1 H,'}:L . . . . . . . (
eo. Ryckman. . . . . . . . \J,," m. Daniel. . . . . . . .
IH.'j2...,....,John Hunter .... ...\\-m.Daniel........
IH.,:
.. .. ., . . Hugh Teske)' ....... ..John Hunter ......
lH.,:!.,.... ..Tohn ({uest .,..... ..John(:uest....,...
IH.':1....... .(:co. Ryckman...,..,. \Vm. DanieL.....,.
18;")2. . . . . . . . XiI. Nil.
IH5:L... .. . .nco. Ryckman.. ..... \Vm. I>anil'l.... ....
IH.,:!.... ... ..Tohn Out::st ..... .John (:uest .. _. .. .
IS.':L...... .(
eo. Ryckman..... ., ""m. DanieL,. ,.,.
18!í2. '" . . . .:\1. MeLcnnan ........ M. McLennan. . .. . ,
IH.):
........JohnOuest ..........J. T. Conaway....
IH,':!....,. _. Nil. Nil.
IH:i:L...... . John Ouest......... ..J. T. Conaway.....
I Sfi2-3 . . . . . . Nil. Nil.
IS5:!-3..... Nil. .......... Nil.
Township.
Kinc.
rdine,
Bruce,
..
Kinloss,
..
Huron,
..
Brant,
..
Carrick,
..
( ; reenof' k ,
..
au
en,
A rrall,
..
Eldcl'slie,
CulrosR,
(40" 12 5i
28 6 I
14 o g
55 1() Ii
117 H 2
2 H 9
:t
17 2
IVi :J 4
55 6 9
(827 14 H
18.,:! was the first year that taxes Were paid in the county of Bruce, and then only
on account of local rates. The above ahows the first levy in which count v rates \\ ere
included. The availahle figures are very conflicting, hl;t the a.bove is b
lie\'ed to be
correct. Of the total about {.300 was for local requiremt'nts, 1.:19 for reàuction of
cOllnty deht, .1:42 payment on l'1a.itland River bridgc, t.:l:i luna.tic aaylulll tax, .1:5.3
on accollnt of railway dehenture8.
44
KINCARDINE HARBOR BY-LAW
desire to accomplish this local improvement, it was bJlt a step to
believe that the county at large would also derive therefrom benefits
slJfficient to warrant the passing of a by-law, under the "Consoli-
dated Municipal Loan Fund Act," to raise the required funds for
the construction of a harbor. On steps being taken to obtain the
concurrence of the ratepayers to this, a storm of indignation was
raised in all the townships outside of the two that supplied the quota
of councillors. This feeling of indignation was accentuated by dis-
approval of the action of Reeve Rastall in voting in support of 8
by-law, passed October 20th, 1852, by the Council of the United
Counties, to take stock to the extent of ;ß125,OOO in the Buffalo,
Brantford and Lake Huron Railway.!
The proposed Kincardine harbor by-law was to be considered
and voted upon by the ratepayers on :May 28th, 1853, at the village
of Penetangore (Kincardine).2 A great rally was organized in the
outside townships to vote the project down. The voters from the
north reached Kincard.Ine by sailing vessels, Capt. D. Rowan, in
command of the Emily, and Capt. John Spence, in the schooner
Sea Gull, bringing large contingents. From Brant there started
a procession that comprised most of the resident freeholders
of the township, and which gathered in numbers until Kinloss was
reached; by that time it numbered fully four hundred within its
long strung out ranks. At the head rode Joseph 'Valker, mOllllted
on the one solitary horse of the settlement. The rest trudged
sturdily along on foot, one of their number carrying a banner, on
which was painted the motto, .... Brant, No Taxation, No Surrender,"
the lettering of which was the handiwork of 1\1r.
lalcolm :McLean,
the present postmaster of 'Yalkerton. At Johnston's Corners 1\1r.
John Eckford and others addressed the gathering, and united action
was decided upon, one item of which was to the effect that not a
penny was to be spent for food or drink in Kincardine, and thus
show in a marked manner, as well as by their votes, the sentiments
they cherished regarding this scheme, which originated, so they
vociferously asserted, in a desire to tax the county at large for the
benefit of Kincardine. This proposal was actually carried out by
IThe necessity of railway communication was a felt want in the west-
ern part of the province at that time. and the enterprise shown by the
County Council is to be commended. The taking of this amount of stock
enabled the road to be extended to Goderich. True, it was a half-dozen years
after this hefore the rails were laid to the lake, but for the succeeding
fifteen years this railway was the main outlet for travel to and from the
western part of the county of Bruce.
:3S ee procedure of such a meeting, given in 16 Vie., Chap 22, Sec. 5 and 6.
U
ION OF TOWNSHIPS DISSOLVED
45
many, who brought with them food and whiskey sufficient to last
during their stay, and who also, when night came, slept under the
juniper bushes on the lake shore rather than ask for shelter in some
house in the village. The preliminary meeting, as well as the voting,
was held at "Paddy" Walker's tavern. During the proceedings
the Roll of Brant was surreptitiously purloined and buried in the
sand near the beach. Any action after the disappearance of this
Roll would have been irregular, so
lessrs. Wm. Gunn, Valentine,
Cona way, Benson and Hilker served a protest, and demanded that
all proceedings in regard to the by-law be stopped, which, under the
circumstances, had to be complied with. The excitement, which all
day had been at fever heat, was much augmented by stirring speeches
and an abundant supply of whiskey. In such an atmosphere fights
started very easily. These at last became so general that it seemed
at one time as if the many fights would merge into a general riot.
To prevent this Reeve Fraser had some twenty-two special constables
sworn in, who succeeded in maintaining the peace and in dispersing
the excited throng to their homes.
Thus Kincardine's first effort to secure the construction of a
harbor collapsed; nevertheless, there remained implanted in the
breasts of many throughout the county a resentful feeling against
that village, cherished for years afterward.
One effect of the foregoing incident was to develop a desire for
a dissolution of the municipal union of townships. In pursuance of
this, petitions were presented to the Council of the United Counties,
at its several sessions in the year 1853, for the erection of several
minor municipalities within the county of Bruce. A
the Septem-
ber session of that year it was decided to carry out the expressed
wish of so many ratepayers in Bruce, and there was passed, Sep-
tember 21st, 1853, a general by-Iaw l changing the municipal con-
formation of tþ.e county, and erecting six minor municipalities
therein. This took effect on the 1st .J anuary, 185.1. The following
list gives the names of the
ix municipalities so formed and of the
reeves thereof for the year 1854:
United townships of Kincardine, Bruce and Kinloss. " \Yilliam RaRtall, Ree\e.
Township of Huron, ................ ...... ........ ... ..John Hunter,
ünited towno;hips of Brant and Carrick.. ... . . ... ... . .... .Joseph ""alker,
(jreenock and Culross.,., .... .. ... .l:eorgc Cromar, "
Township of Saugeen. ..... . . .... ...... . ... .. .. , ... .... Alexander :\[cXahh, II
ünit.d tCl\\nships of Arran anù Elùerslie. ..... .. ... .. . Richard Berford,
1AR this by-law i!'! the authority for the separate municipal existence of
the town!'hip!'! naIllcd therein, it is given in full in Appendix F.
46
PRELIMINARY TO SEPARATION FROl\[ HUUUX
The dissolving of the union of all the townships in the county
and forming thereof six municipalities was a measure much appre-
ciated by the ratepayers. A large increase in the number of settlers
was required, however, ere each township could enter upon a separ-
ate career as an independent municipality. rrhe first to do so was
Kinloss, which in 1855 was detached from Kincardine and Bruce.
The followi
g year (1856) witnessed the severance of the union of
Kincardine and Bruce Townships, of Brant and Carrick, of Greenock
and Culross, as well as of Arran and Elderslie. 1 t was in this last
mentioned year that for the first time each of the several townships
comprised in the original county of Bruce sent a representative to
attend the Council of the united counties of Huron and Bruce, there
being but these two counties in the union at that time, Perth having
separated therefrom on January 1st, 1853. In doing so Perth
assumed two-fifths of the liabilities of the originally united counties.
Among the many municipal alterations which occurred during
these changeful years, the uniting of the township of Amabel to that
of Arran should not be overlooked. This union was accomplished
December 18th, 1856, when the United Counties Council passed a
by-law to that effect. Amabel was the first of the newly surveyed
townships in the Indian Peninsula to come into possession of muni-
cipal privileges and responsibilities.
By this time the population of Bruce had so increased as to
warrant an application being made to have abrogated the union of
the counties of Huron and Bruce. This was acceded to and Par-
liament passed an Act on May 16th, 1856,1 authorizing the forma-
iion of the provisional County Council of Bruce, the preliminary step
towards a separation from Huron. At this time it was hoped that
a few months would see the separation completed, but local jeal-
ousies as to where the county town was to be, intervened to prevent
él consummation so desirable. The story of the ten years' struggle
for the county-town is reserved for another chapter.
The tabulated statement of the equalized assessment of the sev-
eral municipalities within the county, as given in Appendix M,
indicates the growth, as well as the relative development, of each
township during the days when Bruce was but an "infant county."
119 Vie., Chap 19.
CH_\PTEH Y.
THE f:JEl'l'LEMEST OF THE COU
STr.
1850-1856.
THE most marked characteristic of the settlement of the county
of Bruce was the rapidity with which it was accomplished, com-
bined with the vigorous lif
of its development, which were phe-
nomenal in the history of this province. The short space of thirty
years, commencing with 1850, wrought changes that were marvel-
lous. During that period the vast primeval forest that spread over
the county largely disappeared before the axe of the settler; instead
of "Nature's solitude" were to be found cultivated farms, active
centres of commerce and manufacturing industries. The trackless
bush vanished as the county became covered with a network of
gravel roads. To these avenues of traffic were added four lines of
railway that entered the county during those years of pronounced
development, thus bringing the markets of the world to the doors
of its farmers and manufacturers. To have emerged from nature's
wilderness and to have attained a population of 65,000 and an
assessed value of over $25,000,000 in the space of but three decades,
is the proud boast of the county of Bruce, evidencing abundantly the
richness of its natural resources, as well as the energetic type of its
early settlers.
Prior to 1850 not a township within the county had been sur-
"eyed into farm lots. 'Vhat had been done by the Crown in the
\\ay of preparing for the inflow of settlers that subsequently poured
into the county, is rcJated in Chapter II. of this history.
The enterprising Dlf'n who had settled at Penetangore and vicinity
early perceived the advantages, as well as the necessity, of having
the rich lands in the township of Kincardine surveyed for settlement,
for only the Lake Shore anù Durham Road Ranges were at the time
w(' speak of laid out into farm lots. They therefore raised by sub-
scription, limited as their means were, an amount sufficient to send
Allan Cameron as their repr('sentative to urge upon the government
an immediate survey of thc hlock of land comprised in concessions
four to tw('he of that town:;:hip. The reprf'scntntions made were
47
48
FIRST TOWNSHIP SUH.VEYS
well received, and in July, 1850, J. W. Bridgland, P.L.S., with a
staff of assistants, landed at Penetangore and completed the required
surveys during the course of that summer.
'Vhile J. 'V. Bridgland was at work in Kincardine Township,
A. P. Brough, having completed the survey of the" free grants,"
(;ommenced the survey of the township of Brant, north of the Durham
Road Ranges. These two surveyors were the only ones at work in
Bruce during 1850. In the fall of that year
Ir. Brough, having
completed the survey of Brant, proceeded, as already mentioned, to
layout the Elora Road from Greenock town-plot as far as the town-
ship of
laryborough, thus preparing another route whereby the
county could be entered and by which its inhabitants could take their
produce to market.
The number of settlers that came into the county in 1850 was
largely in excess of the preceding year. As these settled principally
on " free grant" lands, it is but fair to assume that the advantageous
character of the offer made by the Crown was becoming widely known
and realized. The greater portion of these settlers found farms to
their satisfaction in either Brant or Kincardine, while a few passed
into Kinloss, which in 1850 received its first inhabitants, who settled
in the vicinity of "the Black Horse," among them being Joel Eli
Stauffer, Thomas Hodgins, Thomas Smith, John and 'Villiam Shel-
ton and others. A fair number of settlers located on the Lake Ranges
in Huron and Kinçardine, largely attracted by the advantage offered
of water communication, which gave ready access from the first.
Arran received its first settler in this year in the person of Henry
Boyle, a squatter who located on his lot in advance of the survey of
the township.
The reader may have noticed that to Greenock Township (in
which a portion of the free grant lands lay) a quota of settlers has
not been assigned. An explanation of this is made clear by the fol-
lowing extract from a letter received by )[r. George Jackson, C. L.
Agent, from the Department: " August 15th, 1850. Re Tp. Greenock.
As the survey is not fully completed, and as there is no intention
of opening the road through the township at present, it is desirable
that no locations should be made this season." These instructions
were not c<?untermanded until the following April.
Action was taken by the government early in the summer of
1850 to fulfil the promise made to open the Durham Road. Under
instructions received from the Department, Mr. Jackson, on June
DURHA
I lWAD I
BRAXT OPENED
49
28th, 1850, issued notices asking for tenders for the making of the
road through the township of Brant, the work to be commenced on
or before .July 10th and to be completed by the 1st October follow-
ing. That the reader may ha\'e an idea of what was considered the
requisites of an ordinary bush-road, and what was called for in the
specifications, a copy of the same is given in a foot-note. l This
piece of work was let in eleven sections. The names of the respec-
tive contractors are as follows, cOIllmencing at lot 1 and thence
eastward to Bentinck: \Vm. Johnston, RIchard Guinn, Johnston
Smith, Jos. Walker, Ed. Bolton, \Ym. Bottrel, rrhos. Todd, Adam
Clement, Ephm. Fursman, Jas. ::\IcCartney and Jas. Gaffney. The
prices paid under the different contracts varied from ;ß23 to ;ß23 l'er
ntile for chopping and logging, and for causewaying, 7s. 6d. to 10s.
per rod. The contract for the two bridges over the Saugeen was
let for Æ277 10s. to Joseph \Yalker, who had assisting him in the
construction thereof John :McLean, \V m. :àlcIn tosh,
\.rchd. Fraser
and (" Big") Sam Colwell, of Kincardine Township. The total
co
t to the government of opening the road through Brant was
Æ665 4s. 9d. The contractors were all paid during the month of
November, evidencing that the time limit in the contracts must have
been fairly adhered to. The details here given may seem somewhat
too minute, the excuse therefor being that these were the first road
contracts let in the county of Bruce.
That the reader may have an idea of wh
t travelling meant in
the county of Bruce in the year 1850, in a footnote 2 is given the
reminiscences of a tramp made in that year from Hanover to Kin-
lThe contracts caUed for the performance of the foUowing work: " The
"hole extent (of the road) to be chopped a width of 66 feet. AU trees 8
inches and under in diameter to be cut close to the ground. The whole of the
timher on the a]]o"ance for road to be cut into logging lengths, these to-
gether with aH the brushwood and rubbish found thf>reon to be piled on
each side of the road, so as, that the same shaH be fit for burning, and
o
that a clear space of 45 feet "hall be left in the centre c.,f the allowance for
the road. Timber may be feHed into the woods on each side, but not into
the clearings. In swamps and other place
where causewaying- is required
the whole of the timber to be cut close to the ground a width
of 20 feet in
the centre of the road allowance. The cau!'òewaying to be madl-' of sound,
straight log", laid even, r1o!o.e together. and at right angles to said road. and
each log to be 16 feet in length. All bridge
of 15 feet !'Iran and under to
be included under the llead of causewaying. and without extra charge."
2NOTES OF TRAMP !\L-\DE I
1850, BY 1\[, C" SCHÔFIELD, P.L.R.
"DeHirous to spe the h('autiful country being surveyed in Bruce, as al!'lo
to rl('scf>nd the highly applauded Saugcen Hiver, I accompanied men of A. P.
Urough"H surveying party to what wa" th('n called the "First Cro!'tsing,"
50
OTHEH TO\VN:-)IHP:-) SUUYEYEV
em'dine, thence to Southampton <lnd Owen Sound, by
L c.
Schofield, P.L.S.
Early in 1851 the government, realizing the necessity of taking
steps to prepare for the large number of would-be settlers who
desired to buy bush farms and make a home for themselves in the
new county of Bruce, issued instructions for the survey into farm
lots of the townships of Arran, Elderslie, Saugeen and the residue
of the townships of Bruce and Huron that lay back of the Lake
Ranges. Arran was so surveyed by 111'. George Gould for Charles
Rankin, P.L.S., Elderslie by G. :McPhilips, P.L,S., Saugeen by
Alex. Yidal, P.L.S.,! Huron by E. R. Jones, P.L.S., and Bruce by
A. P. Brough, P.L.S. These sun-eys were all completed during
the summer of 1851, except that of Bruce, the survey of which was
brought to an abrupt termination owing to l\lr. Brough having con-
tracted a fatal illness during its progress, causing the work to be
stopped at the sideline between lots 10 and 11. 2 In addition to the
now the town of Hanover. Here Jos. 'Yalker, with a party, were throwing
the first bridge across the river. 'There I embarked with the men, carrying
supplies to their camp, at the present town of Walkerton, on a raft. The
anticipated pleasure of a sail down the river, in many places wide and
deep, was greatly marred or lessened by a continuous heavy rain, causing us
to appreciate a warm, dry camp and a hearty supper.
"Early next morning I started for Penetangore, 27 miles distant, reach-
ing it that eyening rather fatigued. With the exception of five miles of
dense forest, where I had blazed trees for m
' guide, the road was being
cleared b,' various contractors.
"At Í\fud River I became impatient, waiting for the Frenchwoman to
come and ferry me across-in response to my repeated shouts-which was
bel' custom. I therefore disrobed and was fording the river when she came
to the bank where her boat was.
H After remaining a couple of days at the real comfortable hotel, kept
by the late Allan Cameron, I started to walk to the present village of
Southampton. There were two houses there then. Owing to a severe storm
the previous day (which completely closed the outlet of the river at Kin-
cardine) the sandy beach was in fine condition for pedestrianism. But there
were miles of various sized boulders upon which it was most difficult to
walk, or step from one to the next; still worse, I found miles of pebbles or
gravel, about as laborious to walk on as hard peas.
" At Baie De Dore was an Indian in camp whom I could not persuade, for
money or brandy, to ferry me to the opposite point, thus saving me four
miles travel around through water a foot or more deep. Further on were
three or four more Indian families, camped for fishing. In one of the wig-
wams I took a short refreshing sleep, and finally reached my destination
after the most fatiguing day's labor of my life.
." The following morning, with a young Scotch lass from my own
neighborhood for a pilot, we started on the Indian trail for Owen Sound,
about twenty-five miles, arriving quite early in the day, tired out."
IThe late Hon. Senator Vidal.
2\Yhen the serious nature of Mr. Brou(Th's iHness became apparent his
as!3ist:mt, Latham B. Hamlin, started for
the clearings to oMain help to
CHOWN LANDS AG
T A.
IcXABB
51
township surveys, a survey of the town-plot of Southampton was
also ordered, and was carried out by R. F. Lynn, P.L.S. Judging
from the large area he laid out into town lots, this officer must have
had an exaggerated idea regarding the possibilities of what was then
expected to be the county town of the new county.
Besides ordering the surveys of these fiye townships the gov-
ernment decided to establish an agency for the sale of Crown lands
within the county (see Appendix G for copy of Order-in-Council
relating to this), and on the 19th 'lay, 1851, )Ir. Alexander :UcNabb
was gazetted as Crown Lands Agent for Bruce, with Southampton
designated as his place of residence. This position :Mr. McNabb
held until his death, which occurred :àlay 1st, 1882. 1 The above
appointment was followed by a notice in the Gazette, June 27th,
1851 (see Appendices G and H), offering for sale lands in the
townships of Brant and Kincardine and the villages of Penetangore
and Southampton, "on and after the 5th August next," on applica-
tion to Mr. '[c
abb. These were the first lands offered for sale in
the county of Bruce. All of them were known as "school lands,"
the price of which at first was 12s. 6d. per acre. 2 Arriving at South-
ampton in Allgn:::t,
rr. :\IcNabb opened his office for the sale of the
lands so offered by the Crown. He also, shortly afterward visited
Penetangore for the convenience of would-be purchasers there.
take the sick man to where he could obtain medical treatment. At Stoney
Island he met Capt. Murdoch McLeod, who informed him that there was
not a sailin$! Yf'!-,.f'l in thf> vicinity, but offered the use of a small row-
boat he had. In this the Captain rowed to Inverhuron (known at that time
as the I
ittIe Sauble River), reaching there just as the men of the party
arrived from camp, carr) ill
the invalid on a stretch('r. l\Ïthout loss of
time he was placed in the boat and taken to Penetangore. Medical assist-
:mce not being available. once more the sick man was placed in the boat.
Captain l\fcLf'od nnd another, taking turn about, rowed the 10nO' distance
to Godf>rich, where, at Rattenbury's Hotel, this veteran surveyor
of Bruce
died a day or so afterward.
1MI'. Alexander McNabb was born in Lower Canada at The Cedars,
Soulangf'
County, October 7th, 1809. In his early life hc was employed
by Coloncl ny, during the construction of thf> Rideau Canal. At the time
of his appointment to be Crown Land!'! Agent for Bruce, he held the position
of bookkeepf'r for tlw Crown Lands DC'partment. The thirty-one years of
his connection with the county of Bruce were marked by a conscientious
attention to the duties of his office. )Iany difficult disputes regarding
c;quatters' rights came before him. a
we]] as attempts made by speculators
to avoid the "actual settlement" required by statute, which 'fl'. )f('
abb
,opttlf>d
trictIy on their merits. Hi
son, ,John )f. )fcN'abb, now residing in
the old home"tead at Southampton. i
th(' possessor of It wonrlf'rful fund of
reminis('f'n('C's of the early day
of the county of Brucc.
2Sf'(> _\ppf'Jldix O.
52
HOW CONTRACTORS' CAl\IPS WERE FED
The summer and fall of 1851 witnessed a busy scene along the
western end of the Durham Road, arising from the carrying out
of the contracts 1 let by the Government to chop and log the road
from the lake eastward as far as Riversdale; from that point to the
Greenock town-plot the contracts let were only for bridging and
causewaying. Those whose contract was located at a distance from
the lake had special obstacles to overcome, arising from the difficulty
of obtaining necessary supplies. It is related regarding one of the
contractor's camps, situated near a small clearing planted with
potatoes, but left by the owner to take care of itself during his
absence at the settlements, that on his return, instead of finding his
expected winter's supply of potatoes ready to be gathered, found
instead his field stripped. The necessities of the men in camp hav-
ing led them to appropriate and consume his total crop, for which
lawless action amends were made by paying the settler a fair price
for what had been taken. :Meat for the men reached the camps in
rather a novel way. "Paddy" 'Valker, who had a camp of his own
to provide for, would drive a beast out to one of the camps in
Greenock, there slaughter it, and divide up the meat with the other
camps as he returned to his own in Kincardine, receiving remunera-
tion enough to recoup him for his trouble. The various contracts
above referred to were completed before winter set in, the total
cost to the government for the same being !:1,004, exclusive of what
was paid toward opening a road through the town-plot of Penetan-
gore, which, however, was not completed until 1856.
To enable settlers to reach the township of Elderslie, the survey
of which was in progress that summer (1851),
Ir. Jackson asked
for tenders (July 14th, 1851) for the opening of what he termed
the "Durham and Southampton Road," through the township of
Brant. This line of road commenced at "Rosewell's Corners,"
on the north side of the Durham Road, between lots 15 and 16,
thence along the side-line to the concession line between the fourth
and fifth concessions, thence west to the front of concession "B,"
and along that, the present Elora Road, to the town-line of Elderslie.
IThe following are the names of the various contractors, commencing at
Lot 1, Kincardine, thence eastward: Wm. Sutton, Robert Stewart, Wm.
Millar, Robert Brown, Andrew Horn, Francis "Talker, Wm. Armstrong, John
Moffatt, James Thorn and Samuel Colwell in Kincardine. In Kinloss:
Samuel Colwell, J. Eli Stauffer John Smith and Martin Meredith. In
Greenock: John Sherridan, Da'vid Smith, Luke Chatreau, John McLean.
For the bridge at Riversdale: Arch. Stewart and William McIntosh, and
Hans Hawthorne for causewaying and culverts east of Riversdale.
EXTENT OF ROADS OPE
EO
53
The work of chopping, logging and opening up was completed that
same season. l
The work done in the way of opening up roads up to the end of
1851 throughout the county may be summed up by stating, that
the Durham Road was cleared from the county-line, west to the
lake, excepting a break extending from lot 1, Brant, to the Teeswater
River, causewayed in all swampy places, and all streams spanned
by substantial bridges, with similar work done on the road through
Brant from the Durham Line to the boundary of Elderslie.
Prior to the opening of the above-mentioned roads all settlements
made in the county were at points situated on its borders (except-
ing the case of )Iessrs. Orchard and Rowe, presently to be related)
that were fairly accessible, as well as comparatively convenient to
places from which supplies could be procured, such as Goderich and
Durham, water carriage being obtained from the former by the lake,
and from the latter by the Saugeen, which was utilized to float rafts
bearing settlers and their effects as far as where 'Valkerton now
stands. 2 _1 notable extension of this means of travel occurred in
IThe following are the nameg of those who had contracts for opening
up this road. Commencing at the Durham Road: Joseph Bacon, George
Briggs, Arch. Stewart, James \Vilson, James Bacon, Hugh Young, Samuel T.
Rowe and Simon Orchard. An explanation for the detour this road made in
its way from the Durham to the Elora Roads is given in the chapter on
"The Township of Brant."
2Regarding the navigation of the Saugeen, the following incidents may
be noted: One adwnturesome Iri
hman, named McMullen, who had resided
on the Garafraxa Road, being desirous of living near Lake Huron, built at
Durham, in October, 1849, a small scow, in which, with his wife, two small
children and their fpw effects, he sailed down the river in safety to South-
ampton, and thl'lIce to the vicinity of Penetangore, where he settled. In
1851, a man Jiving near Hanover, named Shupe, huilt a RCOW, and with
the assistance of \Villiam Summers, sailed down the Saugeen to its mouth,
and thence by lake to Goderich, where he purchased six or eight barrels of
flour, "ith which he loaded his craft, and returncù hy the same TOutC.
('oming up the river was a laborious work, the rapids 'having to be sur-
mounted by towing and poJing; one man wading in the water with a rope
over his shoulders, "hile the other assisted by pushing with a long pole.
The fo]]owing item appeart'd in the columns of the Paisley Advocate, in
its issue of April 28th, 1876, and vividly refers to this subject of the
navigation of the Saugccn: .. \Vhen the first steam sawmill, huilt in this
county, wa" to be erected at Southampton, about twenty-five yeal"
ago. it
hecamC' a q\w!'tion how the large boiler could be brought to its de
tination,
a
thcl"e wa" no road through the county. The boiler was conveyed to Han-
OWl". if we rememher rightIJ'. and thl're left b.\" the side of the Raugcl'n to
wait the turning up of some genius who would invent some method of taking
it further. It was at last dl'cidcd to make an ironclad of it and float it
down the rÎ\'cl". All the opening'! .were tightl.", plugged, and witb leVPTs and
handspikes thc hugc boilpr wag started. rolling at a rapid rate down the
stl'ep hank into the dl'ep river at the foot. The boiler, b('ing vl'ry hpn,"y. and
54
PIO.\EE.HS OF ELDEH::,LlE
April, 1851, when a settlement wab made in the vcry heart of the
county by Simon Orchard and his family. Arriving at \Valkerton
by way of the Durham RQad, lIIr. Orchard constructed a raft on
which he placed his family and belongings. Shoving off, the raft,
with its venturesome passengers, floated down the rapid stream,
whose banks at that time were covered by a dense, unbroken forest.
Night found them at the junction of the
augeen and Teeswater
Rivers. Here
Ir. Orchard pitched his camp for the night. On
examining the 19cality in the morning he was so well satisfied with
it that he determined to locate there. Using the boards of his raft
for building material he soon erected a temporary shanty.
Ir.
Vidal and his party of surveyors made their appearance on the spot
a day or so afterwards, and with their kindly assistance a log build-
ing was put up. On :May. 9th, three weeks after )Ir. Orchard's
arrival, he was joined by his friend,
. T. Rowe. These two families
formed the embryo settlement which later developed into the village
of Paisley. This settlement in the centre of the county was not
long without neighbors. David Lyons and Thomas Hembroff in
the fall of 1851 took up lands at what afterward was known as
Lockerby, some two miles distant from Paisley. They were not
joined by their families, however, until the following spring.
On the withdrawal of the re::;triction regarding settlement on the
"free grants" in Greenock in April, 1851, a number of settlers
poured into that township, and speedily the last of the" free grants"
that were at all desirable to settle upon were taken up. Among those
who settled in Greenock at this time were: ..Adam Ritchie, sen., and
going down with great force, it at once disappeared with a tremendous
splash. The experiment was voted a failure a"t the very commencement, and
the costly concern was supposed to be lost, but while the disappointed
navigators looked on with blank faces where their craft had disappeared, it
came slowly to the surface, raising its black shape high above the water.
The boiler, which had started on its way north without waiting for anyone
t? take comman
, was at once captured. and a dry cedar log lashed to each
BIde, oars were rIgged, and away went the strangest craft that ever navig
ted
the Saugeen. The boiler was Rnfely taken to Southampton, passing Paisley
?n tI:e way down with a flag flying, and the heads of the great rivets show-
mg lIke the scales of some huge !'ea monster. It was not unusual in those
days for settlers to come down on rafts from far up the river, sometimes
hringing their whole outfit on one crib. On one occasion, early in the morn-
ing, a commodious raft passed where this village now is. On one end was a
cow .with her ?alf ; .on the other, along with considerable baggage, was a
cookmg stove, m whIch was a good fire, and while the enterprising settler
was attending to thc navigation of his vessel. the good wife was busy at the
stove getting breakfast ready. The smoke, which streamed from the elevated
pipe, gave the moving raft the appearance of a rustic steamer in motion."
EARLY LAKE VESSELS AND THEIR CAPTAI
S
55
his sons, John B., Sterling and \Villiam D., also Hans, Thomas and
Samuel Hawthorne, Alexander, ::;amuel and \Villiam Cunningham,
Henry, James, Robert, \Yilliam and George Pinkerton. Settlers
also located in Arran -about the same time, the mo::;t prominent of
whom was George Gould and Richard Berford, who took up farm
lots afterwards surveyed into the villages of Invermay and Tara.
About the same time several settlers squatted upon the unsurveyed
lands in Carrick, near the boundary of Brant. rrhe names of these
were John Hogg,
\.ndrew Hutton, Louis Fournier and Oliver
Toronjeau.
When the determination of some would-be settler became fixed
to go into the backwoods
nd take up a bush-farm in the county of
Bruce, the question how to reach the eligible lands there opened for
settlement was a most serious one. The completion of the two roads
mentioned in a preceding paragraph, supplemented by similar work
to be referred to hereafter, performed in 1852 and subsequently,
solved the problem in a measure. The difficulties and hal'd
hips
that individual settlers surmounted "prior to the opening of these
roads, have been outlined in yarious parts of this history. Those
who settled in Kincardine and Huron Townships made use of the
lake; in winter they entered the county by driving along its shore
on the ice, or if they came during the season of navigation, they did
so by sailing vessel. The two first settlers,
\llan Cameron and
\Villiam \Vithers, entered the county in this way, having been brought
to the mouth of the Penetangore River by Capt. :Murray )IacGregor
on his schooner, The Fly. Capt.
IacGregor about this time '\as
engaged largely in sailing to and from the Bruce )Iines, but as
opportunity offered carried many a settler and his belongings to
Penetangore or
outharnpton. The first vessels to engage regularly
in sailing from Goderich to county of Bruce ports date back to 18-19,
and were limited in that year to two small craft, one of which was a
dug-out canoe, of unusual dimensions for that description of craft,
commanded by Abraham Holmes (referred to in the chapter on the
township of Huron). The other was a two-mastf'd open sailboat,
called the Wing and nïng, !=:ailf'd by Capt. 80per. These two vessels
were Ruflicif'nt for all the traffic of that year. )Iany a settler in
Bruce has kindly recollections of Capt. Duncan Rowan and of his
estimable wife, who frequently sailed with him during his long
career as a lake captain. In Chapter III. Capt. Rowan's early
advent into Hru('f' i!1 relatf'd. Tn lR!)O hf' l:ticl a!=:idf' fhp woo(lman's
56
DANGERS OF THE LAKE
axe to navigate the waters of Lake Huron. In that anù the follow-
ing year he had command of a small schooner called the ltlary Ann.
In the years 1852 to 1855 he sailed the E.mily, leaving that vessel
in 1856 to take charge of the Ploughboy, the first steamer to sail
regularly on the route from Det.roit and Windsor to Southampton.
Another lake captain who as a man and as a sailor has the esteem
of all who know him, is Capt. l\Iurdoch
lcLeod. He commenced
to engage in the trade along the lake about the same time as Capt.
Rowan. Capt. :McLeod's first vessel on this route was the High-
lander, which he sailed in the years 1850-51. In 1852-53 he com-
manded the Waterwitch, and in 185-1, and for several years after,
the Jlountaineer. William Rastall had a vessel built in the winter
of 1851-52, at Kincardine, which bore the name of the Forest
. Capt.
John :Murray was in charge of her until sold to Capt. John Spence
in 1854, who during the two previous seasons had sailed the Sea Gull.
Another vessel on this route in 1853-54 was the Fairy, commanded
by Capt. Edward Marlton, of qoderich. Of these vessels, many were
but open boats, in some cases not nearly as staunch as those in com-
mon use to-day by the fishermen on the lake. The names of the
yarious vessels engaged in the lake traffic and of their captains haye
been given in whåt may seem a somewhat detailed manner. _\.-s an
excuse for this, the reader is asked to remember that hundreds of
settlers found their way into the county of Bruce by their instru-
mentality. Of these, those who survive and read the foregoing will
note with pleasure the name of the vessel and of the captain that
brought them safely over the waters of Lake Huron to their destina-
tion; and they will recall the yoyage and the novelty of a prolonged
sail in a small, over-Iadened craft. accentuated by incidents of
danger,l for in those days there were no harbors of refuge or light-
IThe fo1Iowing episode, written by
Irs. John Reekie, late of Kincardine
'l'o\\ßship, details vividly the dangèrs and hardships referred to. After
relating the particulars of the journey from Glengarry with her father
(Archibald Sinclair, of Sinclair Comers, township of Bruce) and the rest
of the family to Goderich, Mrs. Reekie goes on to say: "The only available
transport. f.or the rest of the journe
. was an open boat. In this we embarked
after waItmg a few days for favorable winds. There were eighteen pas-
sengers in nll. \Ve left port about S p.m. The night was dark and the lake
rather rough. In about an hour or two the wind rose to such a gale that
it was considered too great a risk to attempt to round Pine Point. The
boat was accordingly headed for shore at a place ca.1Ied IS-Mile Creek-the
only place where it was said a landin
could be effected with safety. It was
a perilou
run, but it had to be made;. and as we went plun
ing through
the foammg breakers the boldest held hIS breath as it seemed that everv
plunge might be the last. When we struck the bea'ch our little craft went to
FIRST POST-OFFICES
57
houses to guide or warn. Such early voyagers can recall the unpleas-
antness, especially to womcn and children, of being landed on the
beach amid the hreakers as they rolled in and broke in foam on the
sandy shore. for pier or wharf existed not, and of how many an
article of freight or of personal effects wa:; wet and possibly ruined
by water in being tran::iferred from the yessel to land.
In
\pril. IH51, the control of the postal system of the province
was transferred from the British to the Canadian Government;
as a result there was an extension of postal privileges in which
Bruce participated. That summer a post-office was established át
Kincardine and another at Southampton. l The postmasters of thl'
e
two offices were David :UacKendrick and Robert Reid, respectively.
Prior to the e:-:tablishment of these offices all mail matter for Bruce
had to be obtained at either Goàerich, Owcn Sound or Bentinck
(Durham).2
Parliament wa;:: dis:"oln'<l
ovember 6th. 1851. At the election
which followed, the Hon. \Ym. Cayley, who had previously repre-
pieces, and it "as with no little difficulty that the women and children
were rescued. How thankful "e were, though wet nnd dripping, to find our-
selves once more on solid land. The night was bitterly cold, nnd there was
no shelter nor habitation to be seen. Only a narrow beach, with high clay
banks on one side and the raging waters on the other. The sailor!'! told us
that above the bank was a clearing, with a house about half a mile away.
\Ye ('limbed the bank, and after wnndC'ring around in thC' dark for a while
\\e fliseov('red what we took to be the hOl
se on the opposite side of a deep
ra, inc. Down into this we went. f'rawled af'ross the creek on a log'. and up
the other side. The occupant.. of the slmnty lost no time in making us as
cOlllfortahle as possihle nnder the circumstances; two of tll(' men being' left
to guard what was s:n-ed of tllC' cargo and lug
age on the bC'ach.
ome of
the nei,!!hhoring settlers, who lear)1('d of the disaster, kindl
' offered to
reliew thC'llI. hidding them go nnd get shelter and rest, with the result that
senral articks of ya hIe disapp('ar('d in their absence. The next morning
nl(')1. WO)1Wn and childr('n started. on foot to rea('h Kinf'ardine: as there was
nothing elsf' to h(' done. th('re heing nothing' but a footpath. \YC' made ten
mile
that da ". Thf'rf' couM not well be a more weary lot of children than
we "cre whel; we arriv('d nt Bellemore's tavern at Pine River that nigllt,
wll('rc wC' f0111lfl nf'f'ommodation so limited that we childrC'n, with the girls
of thp hOllsf'. harl to s](,f'P on thC' straw in the barn. nonC' too '\"1'11 f'overed
for the ('old. night. Our party had not procC'erl('rl far along the shore next
morning "hen we were met b
' a boat that had. Jw('n despatf'hed to our
a.."istanf'(, h
' som(' of the men who had. walk('d through to Kinf'anHnC' tne
night h('fol'f'. in ,vhif'h we reached our destination, thankful to be dOll(' with
tra,"f'] either h:," 1nnd or water."
IThi!'! po!':t-f.tfif'e at fir"t, and until ahout 1890. W3S known as "
aug('('n:'
2'fhC' mail sNyiC'e to thesf' thre(' places nt the timf> tIle first !'!eHler!'! ('a111e
into nruf'e wa
as follows: nOfleridl r('('('Î\-ed a mail from J.ondon twif'e a
w('('k. f'ony(','('d In- '"":1<:>h or horsC'hack; from Pr('ston thric(' a week, con-
yey('ò hy f'
:1f'h. 'nf'ntinf'k re('('h-e!1 a mail from nuelph once a week. con-
Ye
.('cl on hor,,('haf'k, Ow('n
ounò re('('Ì\-('ò a mail from nl1elph once a week,
C'om'('y('rl on hor"chaek ; from Bnrrie onf'e a wepk, conveyed 1ikewi!':(>.
58
WI
TER, 1851-52
sented Huron and Bruce, was defeated by the Hon. l\Ialcolm Cam-
eron, who, as a member of the Hincks-lVlorin Government, held the
position of President of the Council.
Before passing on to narrate the incidents of the following year,
attention might be drawn to two events relating to the town of Kin-
cardine, where in 1851 the first school in the county was established,
and the establishing in the same year of the first settled pastorate of
any denomination in the county, that of the Rev. Thomas Crews, of
the Wesleyan :Methodist Church, whose congregation was organized
with a membership of forty. Rev. :Mr. Crews was in charge of the
congregation at Kincardine for the years 1851-2.
The winter of 1851-52 was unusually severe; it was also noted
by an excessive snowfall. The combination of these has caused its
dark days to be well remembered by isolated settlers who had not
laid in a large store of the necessities of life, as the difficulties of
replenishing were under the circumstances almost insurmountable.
'Vith the opening of the spring of 1852, five parties of surveYOf8
were sent into the county by the government. Of these, one in charge
of J. D. Daniels, P.L.S., was allotted the survey of the township of
Carrick; to G. McPhilips, P.L.S., was allotted the survey of the town-
ship of Culross; to E. R. Jones, P.L.S., the survey of that part of
the township of Kinl{)ss not divided into farm lots by the early sur-
veys of A. Wilkinson and A. P. Brough, referred to in Chapter II.;
to C. )Iillar, P.L.S., was allotted the survey of the eastern part
of the township of Bruce; and to Robt. 'Yalsh, P.L.S., the residue of
the township of Greenock.
The work of opening up the Owen Sound Post Road, as it was
called, was busily prosecuted during the summer of 1852. The
contracts for the same were let by A. ::\IcN abb, Crown Lands Agent.
This road extended from Southampton to Owen Sound, via Bur-
goyne and Invermay. Part of the required work thereon was the
construction of the first bridge erected over the Saugeen, north of
'Yalkerton,1 Thomas Lee 2 and Thomas Godfrey being the ('ontractor
.
l::\Ir. McNabb on leaving Toronto to assume his new duties at South-
ampton was supplied with $6,000 by the Government to be disbursed in the
opening up of roads. On rendering a statement of contracts entered into, that
for the hridge over the Saugeen was disallowed, the Crown Lands Depart-
ment claiming it to be unauthorized as the O'rant had been made for roads
and roads only. Until this bit of red-tape co
ld be got round the money to
nwet this obligation was raised on the joint personal note of Mr. McNabb
and the Hon. Malcolm Cameron. (See also Appendix 0.)
2J'homas Lee filJed the position of postmaster at Southampton from 1857
until his death. FC'hruary 20th, 1901.
OWEN
oex D ROAD
59
The site was at Henry Boyle5', lot 21, conce;:,sion c, A," Arran. The
contract for opening this road through the township of Arran was
secured by George Gould l for nearly the whole way. The author
has only been able to surmise the reasons why this road was opened
up years before the more direct <me, which is known as the Northern
Gravel Road, and which, as far as he has been able to find out, the
government had engaged with the lndians to open when they made
the surrender (in September, 1851) of the "Half-mile Strip."2
The following are the surmises offered: First, the funds at the dis-
posal of the Crown Lands Department for the purposes of road-
making being very limited compared to the demands thereon, every
penny had to be prudently and economically spent, and as there was
along the northern boundary of Arran a long stretch of swampy
land through which it would be difficult and expensive to construct
road, very much more so than to open the road decided upon; and
also, by starting the Owen Sound Road at Burgoyne, a point on
the Elora Road, instead of at Southampton, the erection of one
bridge over the Saugeen would answer both the roads, and so the
ost of a second bridge be avoided. These considerations probahly
led to the road by the longer route being decided upon. And, as a
further consideration, the opening of a road through the centre of
the township of Arran instead of along its northern boundary, would
expedite its early settlement, as well as being a convenience to a
larger number of Ft'Ìtlers, although, be it remembered,3 the Indian
Department were offering for sale the lots on the Half-mile Strip
at the same time.
IT p to the time under consideration no road had been constructed
which permitted communication between the townships in the north
and those in tlw south excepting that through Brant, mentioned in
a previous paragraph, and this only to the extent of about nine
milef:. To remedy this. Simon Orchard undertook CSovember,
1851). on paymf'nt of tl? 10
.. to open up "a sleigh track" from
1Georg(' Gould's name is closely identified "ith Arran" He had been
('ngaged in its burny, under Charles Rankin, and he was among the first to
takf' up land in thc township. He was the first postmaster of " Arran," now
Inv('J"I}wy. H(' also filled the ofTke of township cll'rk for sevf'ral years, until
he l"esignf'd in 18ti 1 to assume the duties of county clerk.
2In October, 1865, the Government paid into the hand
of the trea
urer
of the Unitf'd Counties the sum of
.t.OOO, to he expended in the opening up
of this road and to huiltl Denny's bridge.
3S('<, \pp<,ncli\. 1.
60
THE SETTLER'S SLEIGH
the vicinity of Paisley as far as Lachlan (" Lochbuie ") :McLean's
tavern, standing where is now the village of Port Elgin; from there
the beach affordeù a road to Southampton. l
The expression just used, "a sleigh track," recalls the primitive
conveyances used in those early days throughout the county.
Summer or winter the only conveyance the early settler used was a
sleigh, alike in winter's snow or summer's mud.
\. waggon would have
been bumped or racked to pieces among the stumps and trees, or
have sunk inextricably into unknown depths of muck or mud in
the tracks cut through the woods, or possibly only cleared of under-
brush, which did duty for roads, these being utterly devoid of every
requisite that is considcred necessary in a good road. The sleighs
were the handiwork of the settler alone. Rough looking though we
might caU one of them, he no doubt looked with pride upon it. The
runners and frame-work he had hewed with much labor out of suit-
able wood, selecteù on account of possessing the requisite CUT\TE', and
had put it together with wooden pins and wedges, his only tools an
auger and an axe. 'Vith such a primitive conveyance, which always
had an axe stuck in a slot in. the side bar, drawn by a yoke of oxen,
l,e could tra\Tel through the bush with no fears of "a break down."
The "jumper" also was much in use, especially in summer, on
account of its lightness. It was even more primitive in its con-
struction than the sleigh already described, as its runners were made
from ash saplings, which had been flattened a short distance from
one of the ends so as to be readily bent into the shape of a runner,
The" jumper" frequently lacked a pole, this to enable it readily to
twist about trees and stumps.
Of the many disadvantages endured by the early settlers, that of
being compelled to go long ùistances to. have their grain ground into
flour was one of the most serious. The mills at Goderich and Port
Albert in the early" fifties" ground many a bushel of wheat grown in
Bruce, access being readily had by means of the lake to these dis-
tant mills. Those living in the rear of the county had to take their
grain to Bentinck or Inglis' Falls for a similar purpose. As a make-
shift, hand-mills were sometimes uf'cd. One of these. in the pos-
session of Angus H. .McKay, of Tiverton, is in a good state of preser-
lIt is said that after Orchard got throuO'h to his objective point that on
returning, he could not find hi", way back
ver the supposed track that he
had made, and had to come back throuah the woods bv another path. :;;:aid
no doubt, in fun to illustrate how difficl
h it was to fi
d the trnck. '
HAND MILLS
61
vation; being a curiosity in these days of roller mills, a description
of it lllay not be amiss. This mill was brought from the county of
Oxford by Hector :McKay (of lot 1, con. 10, tp. Kincardine), father
of the present owner, when he took up his land. An examination
of the two stoncs that compo::ie the mill lcads one to suppose that
the nether stone was originally intended for a grind-::;tone, but not
possessing the required ,. grit;' was adapted to a mill-stone. The
upper stone is of limestone, which has been shaped so as to fit the
lower one. The stones and the principle of this hand-mill are a
copy of the large ones of a grist-mill, excepting that instead of
regular grooves being cut on the face of the stones they have been
simply roughened and indented. The upper stone shows a socket
used for the insertion of a handle. The present owner relates how,
after the evening meal had been disposed of, the mill would be
placed on the table; one end of the handle, which was a long one,
would be inserted In the socket in the stone and the other adju::ted
to a socket in a beam overhead, and then the mill would be run by
the boys, grinding the porridge-meal for next day; or perhaps it
would be used by some of the neighbors, who had brought over some
grain to grind.
:Uajor \Vm. Daniel, of the Durham Line, Kincardine Township,
describes the difficulties of the settlers in regard to getting their
grain ground as follows: "Our only mill was an olù spice-mill
o\\ned by Jacob Latschaw, driven by hand. I took half a bushel
of corn there once to grind, but the work was so slow and hard that
I did not attempt it a second timc. \Ve could not send a team with
a grist to the mill in summcr because the roads were so bad, conse-
qucntly we had to wait until wintcr to have gristing done. Some-
times the snow was deep and the track but little bettcr than a foot-
}Jath, for settlers and teams were but few through Greenoek. Con-
sequently one beast only could utilize the single track to advantage,
and in order to do this wc would drivc an ox singlc by taking a
short picce of timber, cut a notch in the centrc to set on its neck;
into this singlc yoke was inscrted the bow; thcn by a trace-chain
or rope fastened to each end of the yoke we could hitch it to a light
narrow 'jump<,r,' that would bear two or three bags of wheat. A
number of us would start together, for company's sake, forming a
sort of caraY
m of these single ox sleighs."
Disad, antagcs such as those refcrred to in the two preceding para-
graphs called for rcdress. Gcorge J ack:::on, who had evcr thc intcr('qt
62
FIRST GRIST MILLS
of the settlers at heart, appreciating to the full the need of a grist-
mill in the western part of the county especially, issued notices in
the summer of 1850, calling a meeting of the settlers at Penetangore.
This meeting, held opposite \Villiam Rastall's store, appointed as
chairman )Ir. C. R. Barker, while Joseph Barker, his brother, acted
as secretary. A hundred settlers or more were present. The topic
discussed was the securing of a mill-site and the erection of a mill,
l\Ir. Jackson being the principal speaker. What results were achieved
by this meeting the writer has not been able to find out. Municipal
aid was granted toward the erection of a grist-mill somewhat later
than this, as we find that in the levy of 1853 there appears the sum
of !38 for a "mill-site." This was the first municipal bonus granted
in Bruce to encourage any industry, and the author regrets that
fuller particulars are not available. It was early in 1852 when
\Villiam Sutton built a small log building for a mill at Kincardine
(in the hollow that still bears his name), in which he placed the
necessary machinery for milling purposes, and started that sum-
mer the first grist-mill in the county. The next grist-mill to be
operated was that at \Valkerton, erected by Joseph \Valker, which
was started in November, 1853. In the following year the Rev. Wm.
Fraser built a mill at Lorne. These three mills were sufficient at
first to supply the requirements of the southern part of the county.
The northern townships had to wait for equal privileges until 1855,
when Shantz's mill i at :Mill Creek, Saugeen, was in operation. \Vm.
Reekie in 1855 built a grist-mill at Armow, which place was then
known as " Reekie's :Mills." V alentine's Mill at Paisley was running
in the same year, and the one at Lockerby shortly after. At Inver-
may, Luke Gardiner commenced to run a grist-mill in 1857. Other
mills on the Teeswater River were also in operation prior to the last
given date at Pinkerton and elsewhere.
The prevailing rule that marked the settlement of the county
of Bruce was that, in respect to nationality, previous occupations,
and other characteristics, the original settlers of the county were
fairly mixed up. :Men Canadian born took up land alongside of
other nationalities; experienced backwoodsmen settled alongside of
ISO great was the run upon Shantz's mill that settlers had to wait over
a month for their grists, although the mill was kept running night and day.
One of the millers, a German, in order to gain on the arrears of work, deter-
mined to run on Sunday ; but good old Deacon Sinclair used to tell with a
rthuckle how the mill showed its moral superiority over the miller by stop.
ping punctually at 12 o'clock on Saturday night. Soft wheat had formed a
dough and stopped the stones.
LEWIS SEITLE
IEXT
63
those that were town-bred; men who had been merchants, or who
had followed some profession, settled beside trained farmers. This
aggregation was to the good of aU, and the succeeding generation
has manifested its benefits in the energy and intelligence they pos-
sess. But in September, 1852, a marked exception to this practice
took place, when what was known as the" Lewis
ettlement" was
made in the centre of Huron Township. This settlement comprised
109 families, all from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Coming into the
backwoods ignorant of the country, of the requirements of pioneer
life, and also of farming, for the majority of the men were by occu-
pation fishermen or shepherds, and handicapped by being able only
to speak Gaelic, these settlers were placed at a marked disadvantage,
which it took a number of years to overcome, as it ultimately was.
The surveyora were hardly out of the township of Carrick (1853)
before settlers began to pour in. Of these a very large percentage
were of German origin, who formed a second group within the
county of people of one nationality. These settlers possessed the
advantage of being practical farmers; the majority having come
from the county of 'Vaterloo, were accustomed to Canadian ways
of farming. :Many of them were possessed of means; this, com-
bined with the natural industry and economical habits characterÍstic
of their nationality, enabled them from the first to do well. Pos-
sessed of such advantages, these German settlers forged ahead and
founded one of the most progressive settlements made throughout
the whole county.
The government, on July 30th, 1852, made a change in the price
charged for farm lands in the county of Bruce that was very accept-
able to settlers. The price for school lands was at the first 12s. 6d.
and Crown lands 10s. per acre. At the date given the price was
reduced to 10s. and 7s. 6d. per acre respectively. This reduction in
price is said to have been made at the instance of the Hon.
[alcolm
Cameron, the newly elected member for the constituency in which
Bruce lay. 1 On the same date the government offered for settle-
ment and sale all the school lands in the county.2
The census of the province, taken in 1852,3 shows that all the
townships within the county had received a number of settlers with
the exception of the townships of Carrick and Culross. With the
1S ee Appendix .T.
2Ree Appendix .T.
IThe particulars of this c(>nsus are to be found in Appendix L.
64
BRANT POST-OFFICE
increase of population the government established a mail route from
Durham, extending west as far as Kincardine. On this route two post-
offices in Brute were established,1 bearing the names of "Brant"
and "Greenock." John Shennan received the appointment of post-
master at Brant, a name retained until September 23rd, 1857, when
the name of 'Yalkerton was given to it. 'fhe name of Greenock is
still borne by the post-office, although the village is known as Ennis-
killen. The officer who received the position of p08tmaster there was
J. B. Ritchie. 2
In closing the narrative of the events of the year 1852, it may be
noted that it marked the completion of the survey of the residue
of Crownlanc1s in the county into farm lots; the last survey consisted
of that part of the township of Greenock not includcd in the Durham
Line'
free grants."
Previous to the organization of the Bureau of Agriculture in
1 b52, the annual grants made by Parliament for roads and bridges
in Canada were expended under the direction of the Crown Lands
Department. On September l.J:th, 1853, the 1Iinister of Agrieulture
submittcd to the GO\Ternor-in-Council a scheme. which was adopted,
recommending the opening of two roads which affected the
IThe first post-office established in the county of Bruce, in nearl
T every
case, bore the name of the township in which they were located. Thus, the
et.tlers in the township of Brant obtained their mail at u Brant P.O
,'
and
in like manner those in r
reenoek at "Greenock P.O." The same rule apply-
ing to Kinloss, Kincardine, Bruce, Saugeen and Arran, where the first post-
oUice establi,,;hed bore the name of the township. The townships of Elderslie
and Huron are the only exceptions to the rule among the townships settled
prior to 1853.
2Mr. J. B. Ritchie supplies the following particulars regarding the
Greenock post-office. After stating that he held the office of postmaster for
sixteen years from the establishment of the office, he goes on to say:
"Conan Keys (of Huron Township) was the first mail-carrier. His route
was from Durham to Kincardine. a distance of 45 miles, which he traversed
on foot once a week, each way. There were no horses here in those days, and
even if there had heen, it would have been utterly impracticable for them to
get along the road, owing to its being so rough. Themail was contained in
a small bag, like a schoolboy's satchel, hung by straps over the carrier's
shoulders, Ho,,, glad the settlers were to see themail-carriercoming.bring-
ing news from friends, wives and sweethearts; it made the saying true,
"Absence makes the heart grow weary." Cowan brought the first mail to
Greenock post-office on October 9th, 1852, and continued the weekly routine
for a year or so, when the route was divided, after which Cowan brought
the mail from Kincardine as far only as Greenock. There he was met by
old )11'. Hunter, of Durham, with the mail of his route. Matters went on
in this way for some years, until. finally, the mail was made a daily one to
and from 'Yalkerton and Kincardine."
nO
AT.[J :-'[:\TJ...\IR.
p.125
(
.J 011
c: 11.1.1 FS
1'. !I;
\
GF.ORt;E (:o'-LIJ
P 93
.\u;\..
Ic X \HH
('ro" II Lallcl .\g-('lIt
1'. 51
D. GIBSOX, 8"l"PEHIXTENDEXT OF ROADS
G5
county of Bruce. rrhe construction of these roads was entrusted
to the supervision of David Gibson, P.L.
., of whom a gov-
ernment report speaks as ,. a surveyor and civil engineer of high
standing and long experience in forest surveys and in the con-
struction of roads and bridges and other public works, which he
ha;:; Lrought to bear most favorably in thc perforIllant:C of the duties
ùevoh-ed upon him." 1 The appointment of )Ir. GiLson a::; Buperin-
tendent of Colonization Hoads bears date of beptember 14th, 1h53.
lIe IS here referred to at length, as his connection with the county
of Brul'e, in the opening. of gO\ erUUlent ruaùs extenJeJ over a period
of eight or tcn years. ....\S chief <.b:-:istanr .Mr. Gibson had 'Vm. Lj ons,
P.L.S.
The scheme referred to in the preceding paragraph, whjch pro-
posed the making of the two roads known as (1) the Elora and (2) the
'Yoolwieh anù Huron (or ,. Wawanosh ..) Roads, was supplemented
and cnlarged as follo\\ s: (3) The completion of the Durham Road
ael"Os:-; Crcenock anù K.incanline to the village of l'cnetangore, chicfly
cro:-:s-Iogginp; the swamps and reducing inequalities of the surface;
( 4) a road connecting the Elora and
ydenham Roads along the
town-line between EI{ler::;1ie aml Brant and eastward in Grey, thirty
miles in all; (5) a road in Co. \Vellington with same object as (4);
(G) a road along thc
olltherly hOUlulary of the tmvn;:;hips of Car-
rick, Culro
s and Kin 10:5:5, uniting the Elura and \Vawanosh Roads;
(1) a road in Co. \Vellington with . the same object as (ß); (8) a
road south from Lucknow to the lands of the Canada Company;
(9) a road between the town
hip:, of Carfick and Culro::;s and
south\\ anI a total distance of twenty lIIiles; (10) a road connccting
Southampton and Sydenham, north of Derby and Arran (about
fourtpcn and a half miles of this road were prc\ iously openell by
1\1 r. A. l\fcXabb, leaving seven miles to be madc) ; (11) a good winter
roa<l from Southampton to no<lerieh Rlong such a route as may be
most useful and praeticahle, forty-five miles. 2
}'fr. Gibson seems to have let the contracts for making a number
of the foregoing foaùs without lo:-:s of time, and good progrcss was
1David (:ihsoll t.ook an af'tin> part in the Rphe11ion of lR:17. AQ, onp of its
It>aflpl"!'I he was inclif'tpd for hi.,h t.rp:bon. Tn the Provisional Govprnrnent spt
up h.\" \\'jl1iam L.\'on 1[ackcTI7c. at Navy Island, 1\11'. Gibson held the position
of compt rnll....r.
2Prohahly this <lLake Shor.. 1:oa<1 II \\as in{'lu(lptl in T{'spons.. tn a pl'tition
of UH' ('our;ty ('nunc.il, madp in Januarv, 1853.
4
66
COLONIZA nON ROADS
made in their construction, as may be noted in the footnote l referring
thereto.
To provide for the payment of such extensive works as the fore-
going comprehensive scheme of roads indicate, the government was
authorized by Parliament (s{'e fIJotnote) 2 to reserve from the pro-
ceeds of sales of School ani Crown lands in any county a percentage,
which was to be used to form a fund for public improvements within
the county.
\mong the incident::; of lti53 to be noted is the commencement
lExtrac1.s from report made to Parliament, dated 30th September, 1854.
re Colonization Roads, by the Department of Agriculture (the figures here
given in the margin correspond with those in the scheme as proposed) :
" (1) He [Mr. Gibson] has surveyed the line for the Elora and South-
ampton Road, which is now all under contract, and will be opened and fit
for travel 1st .Tanuary next.
" (2) The" oolwich-Huron Road is also let and will be pas!';able by the
same time.
" (3) The improvements required to complete the Durham Road are in
progress, and will also be finished by the New Year, with the exception of
that portion "hich lies in the to\\n-plot of Penetangore, which is not required
at pre<:ent, as there is a paral1E.'l road already opened at a short distance
to the north." [This, no doubt, refers to the road opened by William
Sutton through his property.]
" (4 and 10) These roads will also then be completed.
" (11) Road from Southampton to Goderich. Mr. Gibson has let the open-
ing of this road across the towhships of
augeen. Bruce, Kincardine, Huron
and part of Ashfie1d, to meet the road formerly cut by the Government
under the superintendency of \Vm. Hawkins, P.I.-.S. It is to be made a
goorl winter road by bridging the streams, crosswaying the s\\ amps and cut-
ting out and removing the fallen timber and underwood less than 8 inches
in diameter at chopping height, from a spaee in the middle of the road allow-
ance 44 feet in breadth, leaving the heavy growing timber for the present.
"These new roads to be opened by January, 1855. The sum of f2.000
was placed to
rr. Gibson's credit, of whieh, on F:eptember 1st,. 1854, he had
paid out fl,492 1/6. Some of the payments were as follows: For work in
('arrick. to Joc:;eph Bacon. f330. For \\ork in Brant to S. Orchard, f9 4/2,
anrl to \Vm. Johnston. f50. For work in Elderslie, to J. Lundv, f50. To
S. T. Rowe, :E50. To D. Currie, :E12 10/. To P. J. Benson, fl50.' For work
in Saugeen, William f'unningham, :E25. To D. Mc1\fcNei1l, fl5. To J. Camp-
ben. fiO. For work 011 Durham TIoad, to :E. Stauffer, f25. To
I. :Mc-
I.eod, ;[20:'
2Extrae't from "Public Lands Act." 16 Vie'., ('hap. 1;-)9, Section 14.
A<:sent.ed to June 14th, 1853: "It !';hall be lawful for the Governor-in-Coun-
dl to re
en-e out of the proceeds of the School Lands in any county a sum
not exceeding one-fourth of !';uch proceeds, as a fund for public improvements
within the county, to be expended under the direction of the Governor-in-
C(,unf'il. _\nd al!';o to re<:prvp out of the proceed!'; of unappropriaterl Crown
Landl'< in any eounty a sum pot exceeding one-fifth. as a fund for public
improYPl11pnt" "ithin the county as above." To be expended under con-
ditions to ahovp: "Provided always, that not exceeding 6% on the amount
collected, including surveys, shall be charged for sale and manag-ement of
lanò!'; fonnin:! the Common School Fund, arising out of the 1.000,000 acres
of land set apart in the Huron Tract." (See al
o .AppE.'ndix 0.)
THE "BIG" LAND SALE
67
of the settlement of the to\\ nship of Cfirri(:k.
\.mong the first to
settle there, subsequent to those previously mentioned, who had
quatted on unsurveyeù lanù;-; in 1
:)l, Wl're Hobert Young, Joseph
Grey, Thomas Liscot'. .J allies alld
\llIlrL'\\ Dunbar, who took up
land on the ElOl'a HOelll in thl' vicinit) of )[ildmay in .NO\ember of
1853, while Peter Emal and a fe\\" others of (;crman extraction
settled in the vicinity of Deemerton about the bame time. It was
in this year, also, that the original boundaries of Arran "ere enlarged
by the addition of the "Half-mile strip;' made by proclamation
Dp(:cmber 3rù, 1853. rl'hc lots in this" strip ,. were offered for sale
nearly a year and a half previous (see Appendix I), the agent
for the sale being John
IeLean at Guelph.
T\\ 0 post-offices wer(> opened in Arran thi
year-"
\rran;' nO\\'
Invermay, and ",rest _\.rran;' HOW BUl'gO)lH'. TIH' tOWH::5hip of
Bruce also was fortunate in hm ing a po
t -otlice esta hli:-:llf'd bearing
thc name of "Bruce." aml w:t:-: situated at what bel'ame known a
Sinclair's Corners, Peter Binclair being the first postmaster. Huron
Township was similarly favored; "Pine River" post-office was
opened this year with J. W. Gamble as first postmaster.
The first port of Custom
within the county was established in
1853, the honor coming to BOl1thampton, which was known as the
Port of
augeen, )[r. J. )[cLean bcing- the fi
'::it Tl'\enuc officer, who
was succeeded by 'V. Keith.
The "Big" Land
ale, a" it i.
('ClnmlUllly I"all('d, at "hich tht'
residue of Cro\\n and school lands ill thp county ,,,ere offered for
sale (see Appendix K for copy of ad\ertiseml'llt). wa,,:: the great
event in the county during thp year 1:-;51. Tlw date' of this sale
was Scptcmber 27th. The lands then ofTered for sale had been sur-
veyed into farm lots in some cases for several years, and in many
casps had bpl'n squatted upon hy cntcl'pri
ing pionel'l'
. To make
good thcir claim as
quatters and retain their right::; to the lana
settled upon it was neccssal'Y to have their names entered as pur-
cha
prs, makp a first paymf'nt, and obtain a lic('nsl' of ol:('upation.
On the day named in tlw advertisement these settlcrs and othcr
intt'lHling purchascrs appcarcd at Southalllpton t\\O or thrC'P thou-
:1.ncl
trong. rrhose who arc alive awl tcll of the trowel and ('"\:cit('-
mpnt of the week or mort> thpy rpmainpcl in t1)(' villagc rt>late many
amusing incidents.
The limited aC'commodation of the village {.oula not begin to
gi\'p hom:p room to the' throng, ancl hunclrl'(l!.:
l('pt in shC'ds, others
68
THE ., BIG JJ LAND SALE
unller the first stories of such buildings as stood on post::;, anti Illany
harl to put up with :,ul'h rl'sting-placl'
a::: could be found alllong the
cedar and juniper hushes near the beach. The sole baker in the
village was Hugh .McLaren, sen. (now of Port Elgin). The demand
on him for b.read was so great that he had to work night and day;
at the same time his shop door was kept closed so as to keep an
unmanageable crowd out, but as soon as a baking was completed,
loa\ es were handed out through a window to his hungry customers,
whose struggles to secure SOme of the baking was so great that no
timc to make change was allowed, and a "York shilling," or a
.. quarter," a
till' ea:,(' ll1ight he. \ra::: paid gladly hy those of the
mob \\ lio werc fortunate enough to get to the window ere the supply
of loaves, hot and steaming from the m en, was exhausted. Among
the many gathered at iSouthampton were a large number of High-
land Scotchmen, many of whom spoke English imperfectly. In
some way, not clearly made known to the writer, a temporary race
feud became manifest. One evening, when whiskey was flowing
freely, and after several fights had
tarted between the Highlanders
and others, one fiery Celt ll10mlÌed a stump and shouted in his mother
tongue, " Anyone who cannot speak the Gaelic, hit him." The natural
clannish feeling of the Highlanders drew them together and bound
by a common language they pre
entea such a solid front that many
that night who had never Leen known to utter a word of Gaelic were
only too glad to u
e an.\ :-,matrl'ring of it they may haye heard and
rememhered, and ::;u escape a thrashing.
The following extract from J.
L
[cNabb's paper on the history
of the county throws further light on this exciting sale: ,. The Crown
Lands Agent stood at the window of his office and the money was
handed up to him. Ao quickly c1ill the bank bills roll in that he
(li(l not ha \ e time to count thclll. hut tlue\\- tl11'111 into a large clothes
basket, and when the basket was full put a cloth over it. In two
days upwards of $5().OOO in cash wa
thus taken in and $8.000 in
draft:,. 1'he strain on the agent wa:::
o great after some days that
he waf; completely prostrated, and Doctor Haynes would not allow
him to 110 any more hnsine::.
for a week or so. In fact, if he had
not taken the physician'
ad,-ice his life \,ould have been in danger.
It nwy he al1drd that two gentlempll volunteered to assist the agent,
hut tbey also succumhed to the strain and g-a,p up."
'Yhy the go,ermnent
hould bayc so long delayed opening up
for
ale thr lant1s refprrpc1 to in the foregoing paragraphs it is
GENERAL ELECTlO
ti9
now hard to ::;(1)"; most probahly it ,va::; departmental inertia, frolll
which it was roused by a motion pa::;::.ed at the J une
es;:-ioll of the
Counties Council to the following effect: "That as there are now a
great numher of sdtler::; l<.tt'ated within the :--,
Yeral townships of
(;r(,('llo('k, ('ulro
. ('arriek. 13rlltf' and Kinlo:--::; in the eounty of
Bnll'e, anù man}' of the:5<.' are lahoring under the greatest lli:,all-
Yalltag('
for the want of roads, etc., in consequence of the lands
wit hin the said townships noL beinf!: opened for ::;ale hy the p.m ern-
ment, thus depriving the settlers therein from any chance of receiv-
ing any benefit from the reserve fund of 2;:,. f.d. per aere, intended for
opening roaùs, and also as many of the
cttler::; ,dlO have Fquatted
upon tlU' lanc1:-: within the
3Jid towll:,hips are pnùea,-orillg by unjust
llleanlS to obtain and hold pO:--:-:d;
iou of more laud than is alloweù
by the reL:f'llt Land Act to each settler, and thus preventing many
othcr good and acti,'e settler:-: from obtaining laud. and 50 materially
retarding the progress and improvement of the said townships and
the wealth and infhlC'lll'(' or thl':-'p united e()UIltil'
, tbat the warden
be instructed by this Council to represent the matter to the Govern-
Ilor-in-Conncil and pt>tition him to IU1\e the lands within the said
township:, opelleù fol' sale at tIll' earlip:,t ro:,
ihlf' pel'io<l:'
If thf' chief ('\('l1t ill BruL:l' in t h(' } ('ar lR.') 1 wa:, the" Hig .. Land
al('. 11arll1.'" :-.eeo))(l to it wa...: the
lIlTelHler by the I w1ian:-: of their
lands ill the peninsula, th(' (1etail:-: of which transaetion are ghrn in
CharÜ.r 1. of this book. Coupled in importance with this was the
di"ision of the count) in thilS }'par into :,i
separate munitipalitie
,
r<'fl'I"l"f'(l io in the prc\ ions ('hapt('l'.
\ p:l'llcral eledioJ1 wa..; 11..111 in thp :-;UlUlllcr of 18;)-1, re:,ulting
in the return as memher of PI-lrliaml'nt for Huron ana BrUl'f' of the
If on. 'Vil1ialll Cayley, \\ 110 ddl'atl.d Tltollla:-; )f<..Qu(,(,J1, eùitor of The
Hilron 8ignn.l. a man who t1lroll
h hi:-; n('w:-:pap('r c\.f'l"Ì<.'d a great
infhwl1ce in many parts of the county.1
lTh.. r('Ìurns for thiR l'I..C'tioll gj'-l' :In iLl..:I of ho\\ fl'\\ "Ipttlt'rs in Bnwp
had t hI' f('qu ired q nali fica tioJls to I'na hIe t tWill to I':lst thf'Î r vott" 'flip
rt't\lrllS are as follows:
Township. ('a.rll'
'. McQucen. Total.
1 I \Iron _. _ . _ . . _ . ' . . . . . . - . . , . .
Kincardine, Bruce and Kinlo!'ls '...
Grpl'l\o('k ...........................
Hr:mt an<1 f'arrick ,....... .........
Haugl'cn ...,.......................-
.\rran and Eldcrsli.. ................
2
43 (ì,ï
1 !) 10
:ll S :l()
10 ]
5(ì 70 1
(j
70
PROSPERITY
The year
185-1 and 1855 were marked by a widespread pros-
perity throughout Canada. in which the county of Bruce shared to
!'ome extent. Several ca use:-: lay at the hottom of the prevailing
good timcs. Hailway construction wm: proceeaing extensively,
involving the outlay of immense sums of money to the contractors,
but ultimately to be diffused throughout the length and breadth of
thp country. rrhen the American Reciprocity Treaty came into
operation 1[a1'ch 16th, 1855, opening up new channels for our com-
merce. In ac1dition to the foregoin
, all kinas of farm proc1ucts
adyancf'd mat(>riall
- in price during these years,! owing to the
Crimean W ar. Thi
floocl of prosperity to the country, while it
brought sunil' brightn
s5 into the hard lot or the backwoods
ettler,
interfered with the earrying out of contra<-ts with the government
which some of them had taken. to open up or improve roads. :Mr.
David Gibson. ill his report anf'ut colonization road
in this district,
says: "Little progres
had been made in 1854 owing to the scarcity
and high prices of labor and provisions, succeeding a time, when the
contracts were made, of mOf1eration in both. The difficulties of the
contractors increased in 1R5!), during which labor and the nece
si-
ties of life attained price::; quite unprecedented in this sertion of
country. Some of the contractors found themselves compelled to
:ìn
pend operations anLl relinquiRh their contrads:' Further on in
his' report of work aCl'omplished during It\55, )Ir. Gibson says:
,; That the Elm'a ann :::'augcen Hoad Illay now he travelled between
thrse places, and that with if'\\' e
c('ptions the wholt-' works orip.ìÍll-
ally intended to be l'xt-'c\.Üeu up"n it are now completed. But to
make this a good summer road a considerable expenditure will yet
be nece
ary in le y elling. cros
-waying and draining." Of the Dur-
ham Road, Ur. Gibson :-:ays in the same report: "
\..ll contracts
finislwc1, except that in town-plot of Kincardine, where thp excava-
tion of a hill a11(l :-:ome bric1ging- remain to be finishe(l." Of the
Southampton and Oo[lerich }
oad: "'This road is now open for
travel oyer it:; wholl' extent, except a portion of the contract of Cowan
Keys in n tUOII. This .oh
truetion i::5. however, ohviateò by a small
portion of thp 'Yawauosh Road adjoining- the lake being opened. by
which the public get to thf' lakf'
hol'e whirh it follows to Kincar-
dine. There is also an obstruction at the point where the line
crO
l'
t}1(' river "Penetangore, over which a bridge ha
not yet been
l\Vheat was sold in Ur13 on the Toronto market at 4s. (SOc.) per
hushel, advanC'ing in lR.)4 to 9s. 8d. ($1.!)4). and in 18:).) to lIs. 9<<1.
$
.3;}),
a price never attained since.
ROAD C'O
TRACTS
7l
built. " In a foot-note l i
to be found the e'\:penditure on coloniza
tion roads affecting the county of Bruce up to December 31st, 1855.
The a11O\ e extracts from
Ir. Gib
on's report give a more flatter-
ing account of what the roads in Bruce were like than would be
f'oncurreù in by the general puhlic of that day. The author remem-
hers a remark he heard In the fall of 1836 regarding the Durham
Hoad, "There is only one mud-hole on the road, but it extends from
\ralkerton to Kinf'ardine."
The rnitetl Counties Coullcil of 1t>55 were determined to have
good roads, and here are given e\..tracts from the minutes of each
..
::;ion held that year. :Sollie of the eÀ.prc:::;:::ìions used exhibited a
breezy freshness unusual in County Council proceedings, and aU show
a determination to agitate until what was wanted was obtained.
They also cast a light upon the difficulties undergone in going
to and from market. owill
to the state the roads were in even as
late as that year, and indeed for long after.
Item 53, January session, reads: "This Council cannot refrain
from eÀ.pressing fl'gTet that tht' road from Goderich to Saugeen is
yet impassable even for sleighs
although a grant of two thousand
pounds was gh en hy g:overnlHL'nt."
r tern 51, J \lne sesl:)jon, reads: ., That this Council is led to believe
that'll'. Oih:-:on is only authorizrd to cut the underwood and make
a sleigh track on the mail line of road between Haugeen and Goderich,
making no provision for the opening up of the road to the full
width. That a petition hL' fo:ent to the Hun'a II of Agrieulturc, pray-
ing that it may lw (']lOl'pf'd this :-:eason to full width, SO that the
trad\: may he kept dry and not form one vast mud-hole. or at least
allow the stumps and root;:; to rot in oràN that Faiù roaù may at
some future time he turnpikC'd:'
.\t tllC' Dp('emh('f sl':o-slon a :-pecial eommitt<'e "as appointed to
report nn a sclwlIle for gl'a\"el 1'0<1(1-..: for the united counties, in which
'Rtatl'ml'nt of f'XIH'nditnre on colonization roads, paid up to 31st
Dcct'Ulher, IS,},;' ill county of Brucf'.
Elora and
angp('n Road
Durhanl Road ...."."....."................
R.nlf'nham and Ronthampton "Ro!'ld ...........
HOllthampton and Goa<>riC'h Road ,...........
('arrick ana Culross Rona ...................
Eltler!'lie anù Brant Road ...... .
\\'awnno
h noad ...........................
Proportion of Exppnditnrl' for )IanagenH'nt."
;to !'. d.
5,001 1
7
937 11 1
1,108 7 0
2,226 3 10
200 0 0
927 10 0
2,) 0 0
í
4 0 0
-Ell,1.íO 10 Ii
72
IUD TURTLES
Bruce was to benefit by a gravel road from Goderich to Saugeen, and
another from Kincardine to Hanoypr. The following is an e\:tract
from the committee's report:
"We only ask the public to look into the counties of Perth and
l\Iiddlese'í and ask their neighbors how they like their gravel roads,
as a speculation how do they find them pay? \Vhat do they think
of the counties of Huron and Bruce for allowing themselves to con-
tinue enveloped in mud, literally locked up for three months in the
year, unable to proceed with their legitimate vocations and urge.nt
business by the deplorable state of the so-called roads! \Vhat a
cruel mockery to call such sloughs roads! The mere idea of them
and what we have suffered in them during past months and years
makes our blood run cold, How long are we to suffer such a state
of things. how long allow a cloak of apathy, a narrow-minded and
selfish policy, to chain us in the mud? Hard inneed would it be to
!'uffer such aml not have power to improve our state. Still harder
is it to have to endure such grievances and know and feel that noth-
ing save a well-directed, thoroughly-understood action is required to
place us in a state of comparative comfort, and in a position to hold
up our head amongst neighboring counties, free from the foul impu-
tation of beil1g styled ')[ud Turtles.'"
The foregoing report, in as far as the county of Huron was con-
cerned, resulted in a system of gravel roads, but thf' proposal for
the gravelling of roads in Bruce was allowed to fall through.
It was in 185f} that the first Division Court within the county
was establi
hed. Its limits were co-extensive with all the munici-
palities therein. Christopher R. Barker held the office of clerk of
this court, his office being at Kincardine. Before the erecting of
other Division Courts il1 the county an iUlll1enSe amount of business
came before it, as many as sm'en hundred cases being heard at one
sitting, which would be. extended so as to occupy three nays. The
ho1cling of the court broke in upon the sameness of life in the bush,
and numbers used to be founn in attendance whose only reason for
being present arose from the craving for a break in the monotony,
for some excitement, mild though it may seem, the craving being
the result of living the isolated life of a backwoodsman. The most
numerous cases in the early courts were suits entered for the collec-
tions of promissory notes given in payment for the " Brockville
Air-tight Cooking Stove." This was the first of many articles
which large numbers of the farmers of Bruce had been induced to
FIRST DIVISION COLTRT
73
purchase, and ga\e their notes for, under tllf'
peciou::; argument:,
of travelling" agents anù lUHlf>r the promise of long credit. The
l'
stove men \\ere followed in later years by agents for fanning mills,
sewing machines. organ
, agricultural implements, etc., ùown to thc
present (jay, in a proc(':-:sion that seems to ha\ e no cud"
ffhe advent of the cooking stove, jus
referred to, into the log-
hantie
. marked an ad\ance in pro::;pl'rity. The settler purchased
one hecan:-:c he felt that he was getting Oil hi:-; feet financially, and
therefore he woulù lighten the good wife's lahors, anù at the same
time adù to the comfort of thcir homc. l>reviously the household
cooking equipment consisted of a much-used frying pan, a cast-iron
pot with legs, a tea kettle and a bake kettle, caJled by some a Dutch
ov<.'n. This latter not bcing a familiar article to the pre:5l'lÜ genera-
tion, its appearance and usc::, may as well be de:::,cribed. In shape it
was a shallow, flat-bottoInf'c1 pot, t(,11 to fourteen inche::; ill diameter,
standing about fh"e to six indIes high; the lid, like the body of the
pot, was of ca:-it-iroll. and fittl'<l clo::;l'ly. 1 n thi
ve::;sc1 meat, bread,
or anything f>h:e that no\\ \\ ouhl bC' cooked in an oven, wa::; placed;
the liù was thcn set on alHl eO\ ered oyer with hot a::;he::; and coals,
the hf'at hayiJlg to he calelliated with judicious care. de:"pite which
the fooù \rould often 1)(' hllrnt. All cooking was done at the open
fire-place; the fire on the hearth not only did the cooking, but fur-
nished aU the hpat. and in lIIany a shanty all the lig-ht they could
afford.
On .T ul)' 1::::t, lKZ>(i, tIll' law rcgaròing the election of lllembl'rs to
thf> Lf'gislati\e Count'il of Canada ('alll(' into for('t'; prior to that datf'
the
()Yernlllf'llt appoint(.a tl1l' lIl('lIlh('l'
of the G pper Challlhcr. The
)lPW law din,(.tpcl that they he l'leetL
a
ll\(l rptaill office for a tPl'm of
pig-ht }'f'ars. TWr>1\l' di
tricts \H
rf' contested in the fall of lR5fi,
Olll' of tlwse bping tll(' Saug-pen j)i
tl'ict, ,,,hich consi:-;tl'd of thp
(,ollnti(-'
of Bruce. (hey awl the north part of 8illlCOl'. Tlh' eandi-
dates "ere )[essrs. James Pat tun, John 1Ic1\Iurrich and James
Beatty, the fOfJ!wl' of whom \ra::; c1ecteù afh'r an exciting rontc::;t.
The
o\"ernlllent, in addition to the expenditure m:lIll' for col-
onization roads in Bruce in 1855-6, commenced to spend money on
various harhor;;:. along the lake
hore.l It was in the former of these
'Th
f'ornmissiOlH'r of Pnhlie \Vorks. in his report mad!' in lS.ï.ï, says
rpgardlllg La]{C Huron: " .\]ong tllf' entire sitlp of tll(' (':lIIada <"Ollst of
this vnst ]nke thp m:uiut'r is who]h' unaided Lv l'ithpr litrhts or hon\"s,
with tlil' px('('ption of the so1itary iig-ht nt r.od;'ri('h." 'I'hp report g;'es
on to 1'('('011I lIIentl that lights 1)(' p]u('ed at Chantr.\" r slu nd, \\'h i tc Fish
Island, and tlll' 18](' of ('ov('s. 1\ Iso that a pil'l" :iOO fpet in !t'ngt h h('
construdNl at Chantry Is]and.
74
THE "PLOl!GHllOY JJ
year::; that Kin<.:arùine received its first help from the government
toward its harbor. A breakwater was constructed at a point 150
yards north-we
t of the end of the present pier; this breakwater
\Va:::, howe\er,' washed away a few months afterward:; in a severe
torm; its remains arc yet to be traced on tIll' bed of the lake at the
tipot mentioned above. Encouraged po::-:sibly by the hope of harbors
of safety and the promise of light-houses at Pine Point and Chantry
Island, the lake ports in It;56, and from that time onwards until the
opening of tlll' \V. G. & B. Hailway, were serypcl by steamboats, the
Ploughboy being the first.
he ran between Detroit and 80uthamp-
ton, and \\ a
commanded by Captain Duncan Howan. The wharf
accommOllation along the coast was very meagre, there being only
two in the county, one at Southampton ancl the other at Stoney
Island, while at Kincardine there wa:::; none. From the latter port
a large scow used to be rowed out to the steamer if the weather were
fine to take off freight and pas::,engers'; if it were at all rough, they
were lanòed at Stoney [
land. to the great indignation of the Kin-
cardine people, who openly chargecl Captain Rowan with being too
partial to StollPY Island bccause of his property there.
'fhe :,urn'y of the pellin;-;ula wa::: in progress during the years
1t;3.3-t;, being conducted in Amabel and Albemarle by Geo. Gould,
for Chas. Rankin, P.L.S., and in the three northern townships by
J.
. Dennis, P.L.S., and H. r. Boulton, P.L.S. The Indian
Department offered for sale at auction at Owen Sound, on 8eptem-
ber 2nd, 1856, those lands lying in Amabel, Albemarle and in South-
ampton north of the river. Prices then paid for the village lots
were in some instances so high that on second thought the pur-
chasers forfeited their deposit. :Many speculators purchased quan-
tities of farm lands,. as there was no immediate settlement clause
in the conditions of sale; this ten(len to rf'tarrl immediate settle-
ment of this part of the county. 'rhe year 1856 marked the close
of the
ettlelllf'nt of that part of thf' county of Bruce as originally
laid out, that is, of all of the county south of the township of Amabel.
True, the Greenock swamp was still held by the Crown, and maybe
a few undesirable farm lots elsewhere, but with this year land-seekers
had to search for land in the Indian peninsula or elsewhere outside
of the county. The ppninsula is not even yet all taken up, and owing
to the rocky nature of large sections of it. it will he many years
beforc this i
accomplÜ;hed. although it may eventually be done by
splling these unarable lands in blocks to be made use of as sheep
farms.
COMPOSITIOX OF THE SETTLERS OF BHCCE
75
Before closing that part of thi:o; history relating to the settlemellt
of the county of Bruce, it is but fitting to write a few words regard-
ing other things than the mere incidents of settlement and develop-
llwnt. At length t1w time came wlwn it l:ould be
aid that the county
\\ ns settleù, that the land was aU taken up, but the (!uestion natnr-
aUy ariscs, From "JH'llce came thcðe thou
ands of settlers, thro\\ n
together a,.: neighhors and fellow-citizens? How have the:v been
fittell hy prf'viou
training tor the work of opening up the bush,
o
that it may be made to feel the throb of civilization? In an earlier
part of this chapter an effort was made to show that, with two
exceptions, the settlf'ment cf the county "as about as mixed as it
couItl well be. The eel1::iUS taken in 1861 gives a reliable bai:iis _ on
\rhich to form an opinion a
to the place of birth and of the religious
denomination of tlwse early sdtlers. The five years intervening
Let",een the close of this chapter and the taking of the census wit-
nl'
s('d, it is true. an incn'asl' in population within the county, but
no material change in thf' c1Jarac o tPf of its inhabitant:,. From the
('pn
u
of HHil we glean the following statistie::; aô to place of birth
of the people: Of Canadian hirth. 39 1'('r ('('Ill. (of course this
indu(led many young childrcn horn in the county) ; of Scotch birth,
1
' p"I' c('nt.; of T rish, 11 per ct'nL; of Engli!'h. 5 per cent.; of Ger-
man, 4 per cent.; from the Lnitcd Statc:-:. ] pel' cent., and all others,
] per cpnt. In their rpligiol1
tendencic:-:, 41 }Wl" e('ut. WE're rre
hy-
tprians, 18 per cent. belonged to the Chureh of England, 16 per cent.
\\erf' )fethodist-:. 12 per cent. Catholi('
. -J. 1'('1' l:'l'nto Haptist:-:. and
2 per CPIlL were Lutheran
. \\hih
therf' werp 1 pPl" cpnt.
rattt:'red
amonp- a number of othcr d('nominations. Uf these ::ipttlers a marked
('haractf'ri
tic was that :--u many were young- coupleR commplwing life
togethcr in the hush. It wa
youth that was np('(led to fate and
('n(lure the har(hhir
of tho
p rady (laov
, falling to the lot of hoth
hushand and wife, and with brave hearts the youth of the country
rpspnndecl and sought ant amI ma(lf' honws for thpm
rh'"s in the
backwoods.
J)rohably the most marked characteristic of these early
rttlprs
was the wJlOle-hmrte<l hospitali tv to he' met wi th in PYf'rv locality.
Thp l1:lIllPS of
ome hon
f'hohlR' arf' :-:tiU spoken of by'" the oid
timf'l"R" as
bmiling out pre'- p mil1l'ntlv for thf' man" instancC's of
hpl1' rrnderell. oftpn at the co
t of spÙ-pri,ation anll o inconvC'nience
FiufTl'rpil. Not a town
hip but roulò give the nanH'S of
nch, and
the antJlOr fpf'ls difTident ahont mrntioning an
T, for many others,
76
BACKWOODS' CHARACTERISTICS
l'qually worthy, woulù be certain to be overlooked. 'Vhere aU were
poor it W
g felt that mutual assistance, when possible, must be ren-
Ikred, S0 the meagre supplies of the necessities of life were cheer-
fully shared, implements were loaned, day labor was exchanged,
and logging-bees, raising-bees, etc.. were exceedingly cornmon; hired
help coulù not be ohtained even if the money to pay for it were
Iwailahle. which it was not, so mutual co-operation was forced upon
these haekwoodsmen, even if the natural f!'ood-heartedness which
prompted to hrlpfullll's
did not exisi.
The dwellings of the settlers were largely of two cla:3ses. TIll're
was the low, flat-roofed shanty, covered with" scoops," or bark, with
its .. notch and saùdle" eornerl-' êlnd single-panp windows, the chinks
hctween it::; bark-corereù IOf!b being filled with cedar
plints ;md clay;
it
one door, a hOI1lf'-llladp onE', had ever the latch-string hanging
outside in a hospitably ill\
iting manner. rrhen there were the more
pn-tentious and lal'gt'r one ::.:torey and atti<. buildings, of hewed logs
and
hing]ed roof. with squan'. .. dove-tailed" eOl"l1l'1'S, which have
not yet pntirely disappeared, hut arp still to be seen on all of our
conce:,sion lines. These latter buildings were warm and far from
uncomfortahle. The winflow
we-re of a fair size. there was a back
as well as a front door; \rhile partitions divided the interior into
,everal room:'. \\ hatl'\ el' there' wag in the way of a barn or stable
was wry primitivf': the \\-illtl'r'
wind eOllld hl0w through the chinks
he-tween its logs. alHl an
- cattle thel'ein had but little shelter. But few
cattle had even this pretence for shelter; they bad to live during
t}u' winH'r in t1w hu:;11 on the h1'o\\;o:(' provided by the tender twigs
of tr('('s. fell ('11 hy tlll'ir OWJl(,["
fOl' that pllrposl
. One featnff'
marked t1lP outside of ('arh housp. and that was a grinfl-stone, used
for sharpening the a:\.c. This was 1'oughl
- rigged up alongside the
housl'. and if yon happened along wlte'n the gooù-man was not in the
hush, you woul(l see the a:\.e leaning against it. X ot far off was a
plough, ::::tr()ng1
' maa!'
() a:' t.() 1)(' ahlf' to te-ar up the roots lying buried
in the n('\d
' dean-d land. Hp::.ide it wa:, the harrow. 1 or "drag/'
as it wa
oml'time:, palled, made from thp notch of a tree, looking
like a huge letter c. V ": its tC'eth had heC'll forged by the nearest
hlacksmith, who also had hammered out the heavy hoe that leaned
agail1
t the house. made heay.'" enough to cut HIP small roots of the
stump:-- around which tlw e\:pertpc1 winter's supply of pot:'ttoes had
tThe top of a small tree, C'alll-'d a " brush-harrow," was in use to cover
turnip amI other small s{'('th;.
EARLY FARMIXG
77
been planted. And \\ hat potatue::; gre\\ in that black mould! and
ho\\ sweet they did taste \\ith salt and butter, even though the latter
.liù often have a ita \ or of leek." which \\ ere COlllIllon enough in the
\\Ood5 where the cows :-,ought lJastur{'.
One of the mo
t Jllarked change::; to he noticed hetwi:>..t the farm
uf the present day and that of the period of which thil:) chapter
relates i;:, the complete rr\"olutinn whidl hil:' taken place in regard to
the heasts of hurden 011 the .farlJl.
U the timp the bush wa
open('(l
up t1w slow, lJatient and enduring ox \\ a:; of far morf' ::;ervice than
the more delicately organized horse eould 11a ve been. This fad wab
recognized to sueh an extent that a team of hor:-,c::! in the po:-:SU;SiOll
of a farmer during the day
of the early
etUeIllent wal:) almost un-
known. 'Yhen th(' author arri\l.d at Kincardine in 1?),j(j there \\ere
only three tealll::; uf hon.,es jn thl' village, and hc cannot recall any
fa l"llH' L' in the vicinity who at that datc owned. or \\-lIrkl
d, a team of
hor::;t's.
The pioneer who take::; up pl'3irie land III the far Wpst is enabled
to obtain a hane::;t, ill returll for hilS laoor. during the \cry first
year of his
ttl('m('nt. \
el''y tlittcretlt \Va::; the lot of those who took
IllJ a bush farlll in the heil\Y timbered land of the connty of Bruce.
The pro('('ss of dearing \\(1-) a slow one; to l'bop, log unù burn fivt'
or six acres was a fair season's work for the mall who had no capital.
This work had to lw ac(,olllpli
hea before the ground could be
ploughe(l and plallte(l, while in the long jnteryal hetween the felling
of the fir::;t tree amI tlu. reaping- of hi
fir::;t hanest, the family had
to hp ðu
tainf'd. To do this rigifl pl:OllOm,\ and self-denial were l's::;en-
tial; the lJIàjorit) of t h(' ::;ettlers po::;::;e:-:...;ed bllt st'allty lllCilll:-;, and to
kel'p "the wolf from the door" ta)..ed thl':-:e to the utterll1o:;t. Tho:;l'
\\ho prior to rntering the" Q\I('('n':, Bu:-:h" had hall :-:OIl1C l'xl'erielll"l'
on a bush farm, through lWlng th('
\Hl
of Canaflian farmers in thl'
older
('ttlrlllent
. pos::icsspd a great ad\antag(' 0\('1' those to whom
e\crything in the hu
h \\a:-- a no\clty, The forIller were able to
wring 1IIu('h nut of th(' for('
t to hrlp them along financinlly. They
coulò mak(' ox
rokes and ox bO\\
for their less skillNI lll'ighnor
.
Thl'.v wen' ahlr. whpre cedar W.l
('on\(,lli('nt. to maul.lfacturr
hillg-l\
for
ale in the settll'm(,lIt. working long and lah- with frow (Ol
ha\ing--
hOT
c) and draw-knife to parn tlw B1O(leratr prir<' pai<l for :--ul'h in
this country of much wood. Others hall among their effect:- a
whip-saw,. and thcy, with the help of a companion, would by manual
]aLor ('ut lumher in those lo('aliti('
fl('
fitut(' of
aw-mil1
. 'Yhere
7R
ASHES
there were saw-mills, hemlock and pine logs were in demand to a
small extent. The supply, however, was so abundant that the price
obtained was unremunerative. Others again, who had a little capital,
made pota
h. This, however, was an industry which does not
eem
to have flourished to any great extent among the fanners of Bruce.!
Jt demanded all initial outlay that few \\ere prepared to make, but
ome help in this line did come to the needy settler who wished to
realize something on his wood ashes when, in lS58, P. & N. McInnes,
opened a pot and pearl ashery at Kincardine, to be followed two
years later by one at Tiverton. The poor bush-whackers were only
too glad to get some ready money by selling the ashes that were_to
he found \\-hereyer a brush heap or log pile had been burned. The
price paid was only 2(1, a bushel, yet the supply was ample. At the
time the ashery was first established settlers of too poor means to
either own or hire a yolk of oxen would carry ashes on their Lack8
in a two-bu
hel bag for several miles to obtain the small sum of
d.
Can anything emphasize more forcibly than such incidents the rlf'sti-
tution of the pioneer
? But then, as now, the man with hios eyes
open, p08
essing enf'rgy and forethought, found means of providing
some comfort for his family that otlWl"S not so favorably endowed
could not. One luxury all might ha\'e was maple sugar and maple
syrup. :s 0 farlll but had growing on it an abundance of sugar
maples, and the demand for sugar kettles in the early spring was
very satisfactory to the village store-keeper. Game was plentiful.
The ('reeks, especially those tributary to the Sangeel1, were full of
trout. Partridges were not uncommon, while rlf>er were plentiful.
11 any a settler has bLen able to stock his larder with venison, the
result of a fortunate shot at a deer that. harl come at early dawn to
feed on hi.. growing grain. frhe species of game which existed in
greatest numberf', but which has entirely disappeared, even as the
1TIU:' author rN'ollects that his fatber bad at bis store, for sale, during
" tlH' fifties." half a dozen pot-ash kettles wbicb were after a time duly
sold, but the demand was not sufficient to warrant the stock being
renewed.
Then' was great difficulty in unloading from tbe small såi1ing vessels
sucb a large, heavy mass of iron as a pot-ash kettle, where there were
no whar.v('s on which to deliver them, and the smaH boats which landed
ordinary freight not being of strong enough construction to undertake
such an exacting task. Captain Rowan nspd to tell with some gusto how
he got over the (1ifficu1ty by gently placing the big kettle into the water
and then getting into it himself and paddling to shore. Without doubt
the first instance of sailing in an iron vessel on Lake Huron.
WILD PIGEONS
79
buffalo on the \r estern prairie, was the" iLd pigeon.! Those who have
not seen the flocks of pigeon
that flew over this count), frum their
" rookery" in Grey, cannot imagine the number of hirds so cungre-
gated, thousands and thousands, stretching out in a flock possibly
half a mile long, so close together as to cast a shadow, and the whirr
of their wings heing like tlw hHIll hUIll of machinery. The flocks in
gencral flcw It)\\, so 10" that Illan) in..;tances are on rpcord of people
knocking them do\\ n with a
tick as they flew by. It was useless to
fire a shot at the flock as the} ('ame toward you, acl the
hot glanced
off the thiek shield of feather:, which covered their breasts. The
i'portsman-probably pot-hunter "uuld he the correct dcsignation-
W01l1<1 wait until the flock was a little more than abreast of him
beforC' pulling the trigger. As flocks in lllany cases followed one
after another ovcr the same route, there wa
no difficulty in p05ting
ones splf to advantage, and in a short time fill the game bag. Pigeon
pic was a common dish in those days, and founù in many of the
:'octt ler's houses, where it wa::; much appreciated, for animal food
was a rare article among them.
This chapter cannot be more appropriately concluded than by
quoting an old pioneer poem, written by Mr. David :Martin, of
Beverly Township, county of 'Ventworth, a good many years ago,
en ti tied :
THE AULD NICK IN THE DOOR.
Tn the rough old times,
1 n the tough oM timps.
Of tWPIlty
.pars agone,
Tlwrp was nap a ('lock in the settlC'ment
To tdl how the time went on;
But we kpnnec1 very well whpn the day bpgan.
\ ncl we kpIlnNl vpry well wlwn 'twas 0 'cr.
_\ nd our r1innpr-bpll was the gude wife's shout,
\Vhell the sun reached the nick in the door.
'About the last notice thp author has met with regarding willl pi
eons
in largp numbers is the following extract from the Pai.s7ey ..1c.lvocate of
.\pril 2Stb, 1876:
" The immense flocks of pigpons wbich have been flying ov{'r various
parts of the country in au undl'cidC'd wa:v for the last wepk or t\\O have
gath{'rpd in the township of .\malJel, in countless llUllllwrs, and have lwgun
building. 'fhp nests arp in thousanùs. and many eggs lip on the ground
owing to the hreaking down of branclws. The place is visiteù b
. !'r'orps
of persons who ar{' shooting the pigeoIls, and aU the shot in OWl'n Hound
and Southampton seems to have becn firpd away as a telC'gram has hl'l'l1
received in Paisley asking for a supply."
80
THE AULD NICK I
THE DOOR
Cash, we had none, we were all alike,
But we whacked awa' at the trees,
And when summer came, ah, then we lwd
The splores at the logging bees;
'fhe affairs 0' the kirk) the affairs 0' the state,
_ "T (1 ge.ldom did review,
But we talked and sang 0' our native lands,
And faix we whiles got four
Now fields are cleared, and every stump
Has vanished from the-grounà;
And now the ladies, bless them all,
Are hoopit roullll and round.
Now every house one time-piece has,
And some have even more,
And youngsters laugh at their mother's clock-
The guid auld nick in the door.
And now we blether politics,
And knowing folk are we,
And some oppose and some support
The present ministry;
But who is bought, and who is sold,
And wherefore, why and how,
We know as well as A, B, C,
0, what a difference now.
r
CHAPTER VI.
THE OOUNTl'-TOWN CONTEST YEARS.
1857-1866.
rHE e\ eut:; recordeJ in thi::. chapter maj lack the pi<:turesque-
ne:;S of event..: associated with pioneer life, or thosf' attenuant u}Jon
a life in the bush, but they in their own way ha ve had a marked
influence in the evolution of the county of Bruce. The settling of the
county-town question and the con:;tructioll of an extensive system of
p-nl\el 1'0iHls. tIll' markc.a f('aturcs of the decade recorded in this
chapter, did much to consolidate and develop the county.
The necessary legislation ha\Ìng in view the separation of the
united counties of Huron and Bruce was passed in
Iay, 1856. In
January following the reeves who were to compose the provision,ll
municipal council of the county of Bruce were elected, but owing to
the long fight over the county-town question and consequent delay
in ercetion of thc county buildings, ten years elapsed before t}w
separatioll from thl' county of Huron was compll'ted. In the interim
each county carried on aU improvements for roaùs and bridge...;
separately.
rrhe provisional County Council of Bruce was organized ill thp
lIlH JI1H' I' i\l's(.ribed ill the following extract from its Minutes:
.. l'E \'COCK'S HOTEL, BOUTJIAMPTON,
.. :March 19th, 1857.
"rrhe Hcevcs and Dpputy Hf'c\ es of the scvc>ral Townships in the
County met this day, pursuant to the warrant under the hand and
cal of the High Shcriff of the United Counties of Huron and Brucc,
for HIP sf'reral purposes for which Provisional :Municipal Councils
are by la\\ erected. David
IcKcnclrick, Esq., Heeve of the Town-
ship of Kincardine, who wa::; appointed chairman by the said war-
rant, having taken the chair. the following gentlemen took their
seat::;, viz., Alexander :U cN abh, Hccvc, Raugeen; 'Villiam Riddell,
R('e\c. Arran: G('orge Cromar. Hp(\vc, Grepnock; \lalcolm 1\IcLen-
nan,l Heevp, Huron; 'Vi1liam )I all. ]:(,(,\"f'. TIrant; .T ohn Findlay.
1S c <,retary pro tem for this mecting.
8!
82
THE CONTEST COM
IENCES
Deputy Reeye, Brant; J o:;eph \Yalker, Deputy Reeye, Brant; Peter
B. Drown, Heere, Culro:::::;; John Pun i:::ò, Reeve, Kinloss; Peter 1\lc-
Y H:ar, liee\ e, Carrick; John Gillie::;, Hcerc, Elderslie;
\..leÀander
McKinnon, Reeye, Bruce."
The (leputy ree\e of Kincardine,
ichol
Idntyre, was not
pre::;cnt at the first meeting of the Council. Of the two deputy reeves
prl':St'llt from Brant onl} one. J os, ph \Yalker, \Va::; permitted to sit.
The first meeting elected George Uromar as provisional warden.
The Council then adjourned to meet two days later at \Vaterson's
Hotel, \Valkerton. At this meeting the Council, after appointing
\Yilliam C. Bruce as county clerk, proceeded to select a fit and proper
place to recommend to the Governor-General as the one to be me
l
tioned in his proclamation as the county town of Brnce.
The place::; voted on and the \ otes taken were as follows:
Greenock TOWIl Plot, 6: vs. Teeswater, 6.-\Yarden gave casting
vote for Greenock Town Plot.
Greenock Town Plot, 6: VS. Riversdale, 6.-Warden gave casting
vote for Greenock Town Plot.
Greenock Town Plot, 1: vs. vValkerton, 11.
\Yalkerton, 8: r8.
outhalllpton, 4.
.Walkerton, 10: 1'8. lnverhuron, 2.
Walkerton, 9: vs. Paisley, 3.
\Y alkerton, 7 : v:;. Penetangore, 5.
On the GO\ ernor-in-Council being informed of the result of the
\ oting above mentioned, he by proclamation, issued 15th June, 1857',
appointed \Valkerton as the county town of Bruce. This action,
seemingly decisive in favor of Walkerton, was not to be acquiesced
in by the \:\upporters of the claim::; made by other villages for the
posses:-:ion of this coveted honor. So, when on July 8th the provi-
sional County Council sat again, and on the introduction of a by-law
to raise $24,000 by debentures to erect county buildings, it was moved
in amendment, "That whereas a great and grievous dissatisfaction
exists on the part of the ratepayers generally throughout the greater
part of the county as to the action taken by the reeves at the last
meeting of the provisional County Council of this county with regard
to the county town. It is moved, therefore, that no by-law be at
present published for raising money to erect county buildings at
Walkerton." This amendment carried by a vote of 8 to 4.
The next move in the game for the county town developed at a
COUNTY OF WALLACE
3
succeeding meeting of the Council, held July 22nd, at "Kinnard's
Hotel, Penetangore," when \ViUiam Hastall moved, seconueù by
John Purvi:-:, "That it is expedient to dividp the county of Bruce
and to form two countie
thf'feof, the southern portion to be called
the 'county of Bruce,' and to
on
ist of the following tuwnships,
viz., Kincarùine, Huron, llrant, Kinlo!'.=J, Culross,
outh Greenol:k
and Carrick, with Penetangore or Hi, ersdale for
ounty town; the
northern portion to be called the' county of \Vallace; and to con-
sist of the following town
hips, viz" Bruce, ..\rran, Amabel, Linrlsay,
Sallgeen, Elderslie,
\.lbelllarle, Eastnor, St. Edmunc1:-: a11r1 that part
of Greenock north of thf' line betwecn Brant and Elderslie, with
:::'outhampton for the county town." The amendment to the above
motion i::; very pungent in its expression. It i
a:; follows: "That
it is only a few wpehs sincc HI(' ullitetl coulltie:; of Huron anu Bruce
have been separated by Hoyal Proclamation; it is as uncalled for,
impudent and illegal to ask a second separation and divide the infant
county of Bruce as it would be contemptible in the eyes of the com-
munity." The motion (.arricil and an alhcrtisement of application
for legislation to the above effcct appeared in the Gazette. At the
1'ame 6ession a motion passed authorizing a by-law to be published
to raise $32,000 to erect county buildings at Penetangore and South-
ampton, and to take steps to have a Bill passed by the Legislature to
confirm the steps taken by the provisional Council.
.\t the Octoher meeting the action rclining to the division of i he
county and issue of thf' denpntures waf' revoked, and the fonowing
motion passed, "That a special Act be applied for by this Council at
the next meeting 'of the Legislature for the purpose of empowering
the Governor-General to reconsider the proclaiming of a county town
for th.. county of Bruce, and empowering him to proclaim eitlwr
Penetangore, Hiversdale, Walkerton, Paisley. or Southampton, aftcr
cach of the above-named places has been allowed to present their
8(>\"rral claims, to be named as the county town of Bruce, the same
a
if no proclamation hll<1 p\-er bcpn issued. ", Yet this motion was
not allmH'(1 to 1't:md, and the warr1(>]l at the first Jlwpting in the fol-
lowing year was instructed to withdraw the notice of application; so
aftpr all tlIp shifts and turns made during the year Walkcrton at
tlw ('11(1 of 18:>7 ßtill hpld pos
(>s
ion of the title of county town,
empty and barren though it might be. The vacillating coursc pur-
sued by the provisional County Council throughout the year shows
what firlppts at "log- rolling" and" wire pulling" existed in tho
rlaY
.
84
EXIT "PENETANGORE"
To have a railway enter the county and conne('t it with uutside
lllarket8 ,"a:, a hope long cherishell by the citizen'S of Bruce, but
many yearF slipped by before the hope materialized and became a
reality. That the railway did not come sooner wa::; not from want
of effort on the part of Brllee. In 1t)5, a proposal was being con-
sidered to lmild a line, to be known a::; the
orth 'Vestern Railroal I,
from Guelph to some point un the Durham Road. Sanford Flem-
ing. C.B., was at the ba('k of it. The provisional County Council
thought so well of the proposition that it was prepared to vote f100,-
000 towards it, and had the Legislature pass an Act l to authorize
the county to take stock in the railroad company to that extent. For
ome reason unknown to the author this railway was never gone Oil
with, and the memory of a name is all that remains of it.
Another proposal was befol'" the county in ]::;5... one to spend
1::100,00U in making graH'l rf)ad
. Thi
Fdlf>me had as abortivc a
ü'l'lIlination a:-: that which ('harac-terizpd the
orth-Wt-'8trrn Railway. .\
special meeting of the United Counties Council was held 30th Decem-
ber, 1
37. to consider a by-law to issue dehenture;:; for f:100,000 for
the ahove-mentioned purpose. It was read a first time and directecl
to be puhlishcll. The Council adjourned to meet at Rowe's Hotel,
Paisley, at the expiration of the proper time for advertizing the
by-law; but without further comment, as far as the minutes of the
Council show, the matter here dropped. Not a word of explanation
is given why this was so.
'Vith the allH'llt of the year 185b the first village municipality
within the cuunty came into f''\i:-:t.ence. Kincardine village had a
census takf'n during 1857 which showed that it possessed a popula-
tion of 837, and was therefore entitled to commence a separate muni-
cipal career as a village, which it did 1st January. 1858, and for-
ever Jroppec1 it::,; double name of Penetangore. Southampton like-
wise attained the position of a municipality in the same year, being
created a village by Act of Parliament,2 assented to 24th July, 1858.
Among the townships during the same year there was one municipal
change to be recorded. To quote the words of the by-law, "The
newly laid out town
hip of Albemarle" was on the 1st J anuan-
united for l1mnici!ml purposes to Arran and
\.mabel.
During 1858 the struggle for the county town was as bitter and
intense as in the preceding' year. As the result of a petition of the
120 Vie. Chnp. 7R.
222 Vit'o Chap. 42.
OPEXI
G OF RAILWAY TO GODERICH
85
County Council, Parliament pa::5sed on August 1Uth an
\.ctl void-
ing the appointment of Walkerton as county to\\ n, and directing
that the selection shall be left with the Governor-in-Council, and pro-
viding that each place shall present itJS claims to the Governor-in-
Council before the 1st of October. rrhat the decision given shall be
ti.nal, and that the provisional Council shall before action be taken
pass a valid by-law proÜding the nccessary supplies.
In December the COlIDcil passed a by-law to rai:5e ;Þ24,OUU for
the erection of the necessary county huildings, hut owing to some
informality thi
o,\-la\\ wm: dedan.c1 imalia. Plans awl
prl"Ífica-
tions had been advertised for 2 and were examined at this session. but
nothing- definiÌt.' wa:-- dOIlf' to forward t1w eredioll of the huildings.
\Vith the Opf'1l iJlg of t)1(' raih\ a
- to (;otl{'rieh on .1 nne .
th, 1858,
aml the establiF-:lll1ll'nt of a daily mail to Killl"arc1iul'.;
tilt' jnhauitant...;
of tIll' laUpr plal"c fl'lt tlwmselYes tn he no long(.r outside of the great
worll1. The Toronto daily papf'I":- were oul.\T a (hi) old when received,
md a delay like that was promptlle
itself compared to thc past
rf'cord. Other parts of the county were not favored so highly as
KincardiIlP, and waited for year!' for a (laily mai1.
Thf' offi('{' of tre
l:-:nrer for tIll.' I.'ount.'" of Bru('c Iltuing tlw fin
t
)'ear of the provisional County Council was filled by George Brown.
trpa
urer of t1w unih'd countif':-:. His ot'ticc was at Goùeridl; which
proved somewhat inconycnient, so thl' provisional County Council at
its first mceting in 18.jR appointc'd the warch.n of the previou::; year.
nPOrge Uromar. a
county 1reasuw:'r. r('hi:-; appointnH'ut bears dab.'
.\pril ] -1-th, 18!)X. The otTi(.(' of wardl'll for thf' ypar 1
.)
wa
filled
hy .T ohn Puni:,. rcrve of the town
hiJ' of Kinlo
,.;.
The
umnlf'r of 185b was onr long to he relllemben'd in this part
of H1I' rrovÏIll'(' of Ontario on a(,(,O\1nt of tlw long and
eVNe rlrought.
If tll(' recol1el'Ìioll of tll(' wrih.r if: l'orrrd IlO rain fell hetwP('1l J lInp
2:hrl and A\1gn
t 11th in that
'('al". rrhl' 1'(':,1I1t was an utter failure
of thf' rrops. rrhe han,.:-:t of lX;)X wa,;. in nun1\' ra
l'
hardl.\ worth
122 Vic. Chap. 1fT.
2Thcrl' is ill tht, oftiC'{' of till' count,' ('It'rk a "Ifill drawn up in rt'!I'Hlnst'
to this 3dvf'rti
Wlllt'nt, sUIIt'rsl'rihf'd as follo\\s: .. Plan of Tht' ('ourt-Hollst.
anò .Tail,- 7\illlm
s, C. 'V. n,'" \Villiam Thomas ð.. Sons, .\r('hitl'ds. ']"oTnnto
:md Hamilton. Df'(' 21st 18.ïS." This is tht' olllv tr:lI"t' that tilt' authur
has nlf't with that' II Ki'nloss" \\aM in th.. rat.t: for tlu. t"ollnÍ\ to,"n,
though possi hly thl' fad of t hl' \\ ar<1l'll '!I post-Omt't' aò,l rf's
lwi nJ!
I I Kinloss " nmy ha\'c It'(l th(' arC'hitl'cts h) sUI'POSt' tht' t'ount., tOWI1 was
thprp.
3This nwil st'rvit't' \\ as l':trrit'd on honH'hal'k from not!Nit'h.
6
" STAR\' ATlON YEAH JJ
gathering. This to numbers of inilustrious settlers meant nothing
le:-:
than starvation; they had but a few years previously taken up
their lands; what little means they had at first sufficed only to sustain
them until enough land had ùeell clearcd to raise their first crop;
with no reserve accumulated it was a dreadful outlook for them, no
crops and no money. Is it to be wondered at that the year from
thc harvest time of 183S to that of 1859 will be remembered in this
county by those who re::nded hcre then as "starvation year."
The feature of the year 1859 which stands out as the most prom-
inent is thc distress arising from the failure of the hanest in the
preceding year. The direful prospect that stared many of thp people
of Bruce was realized by the County Council, which at its first meet-
ing. held on Fehruary -Hh and 5th, appointed a special committee
to report on the destitution then prevailing and to suggest what
measures should be adopted to relieve it. The report made by this
committee is to be found printed as Appendix P, which
s worthy
of a careful perusal. The result of the report was the passing of a
by-law to raisc by mean;; of dehentures the sum of eight thousand
five hundred pounds currency, "for providing means to relie\ e the
destitution. existing and increasing, in the county of Bruce, and to
supply a sufficiency of seed grain and provisions for the inhabitants,
prior to the ensuing harvest." Such a by-law to be legal required
to be confirmed by Act of Parliament, which was done. l The deben-
tnr0S WNt' very con
id('fatply cashcd at par by the government, so
aying the county any discount or ilelay. TI1(' money so rais9c1 was
paid over to the minor municipalities as required as soon as its Coun-
cil had passed a valid by-law undertakinp- to issue dehentures, pay-
able in ten years, for a sum equal to the amount received from the
county, and also binding the local municipality to expend the amount
so received in improving roads. thus giving employment to those in
need. The proportion of money allocated to the different munici-
palities varied accordin
to the amount of distress therein. The
particulars of this distribution are as follows: To Arran 1:2,500.
Brant f2,OOO, Bruce f5,-!OO. Carrick f2.000, Culross i2,70 0 , Elc1erslie,
i3,600, Greenock f'2,700, IT uron f-l.400, Kincardine t:5AOO.
Kinloss 1:2,700, Kincardine village 1:600. That the reader may form an
idea of the manner in which the funds so placed in the hand
of the
minor municipalities was used to relieve the widespreacl needs. some
'22 Vie. Chap 7. Passed March 26th, 1859.
DE::;TITCTION RELIEYED
7
e:\.tracts taken from the regulations adopted by the Council of the
township of Bruce are here given; these may be accepted as a sample
of the general pmctice in other municipalities, all of whil'h pur<.;hased
seed grain and flour for distribution as needed. The e:\.tract is as
follow:-:: "That not more than fiyp bushels of seerl grain he i
ued
to anyone ratepayer until all are sèned, when if a balance
remains it shall be rateably distributed among such as were not
fully supplied. That the seed be
old at an a<.hance of one shilling
and dU"el' pence per bu:::hel 0\ er co:"t price, and that in all cases when
the
ame is paid for in road work this sum shall be deducted from
the face of the note. That ratepayers entitled to receive seed grain,
who han
not performed work, shall be entitled to recei\e an allow-
allce of hre.adstun'
nut e'.ceedillg fifteeu poulld:3 per head, for the
preseut, and this after signing a declaration setting forth the nature
of the case and that relief was required:'
The author here gives some extracts from the Bruce Township
Council minute<;; of .T une l
th, IH.,)H, which forcihly illu....tratf' the
prC'\ ailing di
tres:5. .. That disclaiming any desire un the part of
this Council to interfere with matters beyond their jurisdiction, the
members of the Council would beg most respectfully tu draw the
attention of :Mr. Gibson (Supt. of Colonization Roads) to the suffer-
ings C'ndl1l'(,c1 by many of those pcrfolïllillg" work on tlw Goderich
and
al1gC'f'n Hnad for want of food, and requP:,t him if convC'uient
to open a l'redit with some party or partie:; for the supply of hread-
stuffs until the jolJS are completed.... Again," That the corn meal
orc1crC'd for the relief of destitution he depositec1 with :Mr. )[acfar-
lane, at Port Bruce, to be given out as usual on road cI,rtificatl's,
P
Cf'pt in extreme cases, when he will takl
notf':-:, payahl,> in work
or mUIlC'.\', for the amount arh aueeù.. That. as a gelwml rult-', rpgard
he
tl'if't1.v h:1I1 to the ('irrllm
tan('r
of parti(
1'C'C)uiring meal, the
preference bping- gÏ\en to weak families, it being expected that
families con:-:isting of Ì\\ 0 or more able-boc1ied yonng men will shift
for themselves without calling upon the Council."
Re
i(J(>s the relief furnished by the prompt action of tll(' pro-
visional County Council, contributions camp in from outside points,
among UlI'm
onw from Scot1:mc1. The Granò rrl'llnk Railway aided
materialJy, considerately reducing its frright rates 50 p<>r cl'nt. on
grain and provision
sent on to the Illuniri palitins. TJlI' steamf'r
Jsland('r, running from <io(Jerich to Southampton throughout the
spring anrl summer of ] R59. wm: heavily la(Jf'n p,('ry trip with pro-
88
FIRST REGISTRAR OF DEEDS
visions 1 and seed grain. The writer remember;:; seeing numbers of
country people waiting on the Kincardine picr for the arrival of
the steamer. so as to obtR in without delay their allotment of breaù-
tutfs and seed grain. After much suffering the crisis was success-
fully tided over; with a good harvest in 185
hope returned to th..
despondent and distresscd inhabitants of thc county, and an era
of prosperity cOllllllPne('d whi<,h hRS not since been wat<'l'ially checkcrl.
The by-law, passed in
eptelllber, 1858, to provide funds f
1'
the ercdion of the cuunty buildin
s having been declareJ invaliJ.
another one "a:-; submitted to the l"atcpayers to be voted upon March
7th and 8th, It\5!), to raise fG.úuO for this purpose, which wa.; car-
ried; but on being submitted to the Attorney-General, \V e
t, wa
ni<;;allowed. owing to some informality. On the 8th and 9th of July
following, the ratepay('r
once more ,oteJ that the r
quireJ deben-
tures be issued. Everything was as it should be on thi" occasion.
and tlie hy-Iaw clin'cting the i
uc of tIll..' dC'bentures wa
pa
:"ed by
the County Council July 19th. rrhese debentures were made payable
in twenty years. As the
' <,ould only hC' U
l'a for the
pecial purpo;,('
of paying for the ereding of the county huildings. it wa
many a
<lay before they wcre required. One' for $-100 waF-
ohl i n
eptl']\l-
bel', 1R60, po:;:sibl:,' to pay for the plan,.; uf tlw propo:::ed building:
:
the rf'maindrr of thp i
sue remained unused until 1863. J oh '\
Gillif'
was warckn in that year; a;: he was strongly opposerl b th.
way count
' town matter::: were going, a mandamus had to he appliE'd
for before he woulc1 si
thC' remaimlC'r of the issue. whi
h 'H'I'('
finally c1ispo
ed of in December. 1865.
)fr.
. Ha1ll1ll0nò. receh-cn in lR59 the appointlllcnt of regi::.trar
of the count
- of BrncC'. the officc' to he at Southampton. awaiting
the final decision of where the county tmvn was to be locate(l. rel1P
provisional County Council on hearing of this appointment petitioned
the (}oYf'rnor-(irnpral that the rC'
:tistr." officC' remain in Goderich,
a request that was not acceded to.
\
an account of )11'. Hail1mOnll"s
wa
presented to the Counties Council for payment of rent from 9th
July, 185f1. it i
probable. therefore. that thi::: is the date on and
from which the county of Bnl<'C' has had a separate r('gistr
. office.
)[al'iners on Lake Huron rejoiced o,er the completion, in 1859.
of the lighthouses at Point Clark (Pine Point) ancl at Chantry
Islanrl .T ohn Rrown, of Thorold, had the contract of erecting these
tprovisions were not only scarce. hut high-priced as wen. Flour so](1
at $10 a barr!'] at many piaces.
EATI
G A WARRAXT
89
two substantial buildings, which in that year first ;:,
nt their rays
over the stormy waters of I
ake Huron to guide the sailor 011 his
connie.
In the early sumnwr of 1
3
J au incident took phlCe that createù
(luitc a talk throughout the southern part of the ('OUl1t.\, although
thc eentre of disturban<:e 1ll0:-;t of the time was just over the county
line in Beutinck. A mile and a quarter ea
t of Hanover, on the Dur-
ham line, liyed a family by the Wime of Camphell, in whose vein..;
must have run the hlood of those IIighlauùer::; who::;e jO)" it WtlS to
make raids and forays on the lowlands, Certain it is that in lllany
ways they set law at de:fiallee and tprl"nrized the neighborhooù on
both sides of the county line. With them \\ ere assuciated
ollle young
fellows, spveral brothers named Baillie, ....\ndrew McFarlane, and ""m.
Ic
lahon. In lR;)x a span of hor,;;:cs helOllging to )[eFarlane were
found at Vesta and seized for debt, rcmoved by the IJivision
Court bailiff, J. Bem:on, and placed in the :5table
of a Walkertoll
Hotel. :McFarlane and the CampheIL.; were deterlllinl'd to retake
thp hor:-:l'8, even if the seizure had heen under authority of the court.
So thpy orokp into the stableH olle night and ùecamped with the
horse!'. This was followed by an ordrr to arre
t from Judge Cooper.
George Simpson and Caleb Hnyek were the constable:::. to whom the
warrant wa
given to e-xpcute. "r onl of the coming of the constables
had rp.ached the ears of the Camphell gang, so whcll the con-tables
were cru;sÚng the bridge at llanoyer tlll'Y slUToUlHled them. Evcry
one of the gang was well supplicd with fire-arms. The warrant wa
ordNed to be produced and wa
imHll'diah>ly torn up; bllt there
being a full sense of humor in the Campbells, they ordrrt'd IIuYl"k
to cat up the torn fragments. A sorry meal it was to partake of,
but it wa
a ca!'p of eat or Of' shot. ...\ JlH'al of papPI' i:-: not o Ill' to lit'
rapidly finished, and Huyck, like man} a greedy boy wht'1\ he ha::; a
chance at a pile of eake
. poeketpll a part of hi:-: fart
. allll t}w:-:I.' part:-: of
the torn and dismemhered warrant were afterwards pa,.;ted togeth'r
and produced at the trial of Colin Camphel1 at Goderi...h. ::'uch all
open dcfiance of law startled the community, and thp nece
sity for
vigorous and prompt measures wa
felt. Judge Cooper dirl'cted that
a pos
c of constables be collectf'll. Buf1icif'ut in num!}(.'r to enforcè the
execution of the warrant. The writer remembers seeing- a waggon
starting for 'Valkerton from Kineardine fillpd with cOll
table8. each
onp "ith a riflp or
hot gun. 1'11(' PO";":f' or (.(),,
tahl(',.; Oil arriving at
90
CAMPBELL GANG BROKE
UP
Campbell'sl surrounded the building and demanded the surrender
of all in the house, seven n:en i!l all. The reply was a prompt
refusal, with a warning that if they did not leave the premises tlll''y
must take the consequences. Defiantly the seven armed men stood
at the windows, pointing their guns at any who came too near.
rr.
Jamieson. the magistrate in charge, endeavored to point out the
uselessness of resisting the law, but his reasoning had no weight
with the Campbells, or )IcJ\Iahon, who was very wild.
ome excited
constables set fire to the house, but the wiser and more sober-minded
knew that they neither had authority to do so, or yet to be the first
to open fire upon these defiers of the law; but a second time the
flames were started, and this time the Campbells, to save being burnt
to death. were forced to make a break for liberty. They camc out of
the building holding their rifles at full cock ready to fire if touched.
The great bulk of the constables thought it best to be out of the way,
and sought shelter behind the house. ]eaying a number, too few,
howewr, tll attempt HIP task of arrestiug' the gang a..; they rushed
down the sic1p-line to the woods for shelter. Colin Campbell and
another of the gang. 'Yilliam ]\'[cMaholl. while on the run were shot
in the hack with a charge of buck-shot. Being unable to obtain
proper attf'ntion in the wood.:;. Campbell gave him
elf up an.1 wa
tried at Goderich at the next A:;:size. and sentenced to a term in the
penitentiary. The family years after moved to
1anitoulin Island
and pnrchaRrd the property of Jos. 'Valker. the founder of the county
town. then lately deceased. .L\ law suit was entered hy Camphl'll
again
t those who hail takpn part in the Imrning of hÜ: house. which
was tripd at Owrn Sound. thf' ilpfpnrlants winning thC'i.r caRe'.
..'\lthough a decade had elapsen since the g-overnmf'nt had com-
mencerl the opening np of the main roach in Brnce. the work was
far from being completed in 1859. David Gibson, in hi
report of
the work of that year, says: "In April contraets were let to the
extent of ${LOOO for making the Sangel>n and Goderich Road { a 8um-
mrr foa(1: At that time much privation and distre
p Wl'l'e reported
to preyail along the line of road. To give' employment to as many
of the needy settlers as possible, the work was let in sections of five-
eighthc;: of a mile each. ln this way a great man
T were enabled to
Dlakp R little money and relieve themselves of the severe' pre
ure
upon them. 'lost of the contracts have he en completed. The whole
1.TUTH' Rth. 1859.
AL
IOS1' A SHIPWRECK
91
of the roaù lying in the county of ßrH(:p has now been deareù of
timùer to the width of 44 feet and chopped to the wiùth of G6 feet.
A considerable amount of causewaying has been laiil, a,.; ,\ ell as
cxtensi\'e ditching on both sides of the road, and the stumps on the
spaee between the ditche
grubbed and removed." Reading between
the lines of the foregoing extract, it is not difficult to imagine what
this road, and many others in Bruce, as well, were like, even after
ten years or more of settlement.
A shipwreck, that would have been llotahlp in the hi
tory of
Canada, nearly oecurred (.T uly 3rd. 1839) on the rOt:ky cliff:-:- which
form the coast line along the north end of the Bruct-' peninsula. The
steamer Ploughúoy, having on board an èxcur:-;ion party con:,isting
of several members of thf' ministry and a number of members of
the House of ParliaIlH"ut, was on a trip to
ault 8te. :Marie. During
a severe galf' an accident happened to somt.> of the machinery, render-
ing the vessel perfectly hplples
, so that slw driftell at the mercy
of the wind and wave:'. ...\.;: tlwy neared the precipitous roek:::. hope
was almo
t given up. A.; a In!':t l'PC;;ort thp anchor with full length
of cahle wa:; let out, but owing to thp depth of wat('r it did not catch
until the steamer was within ahout fifty yarù
of the perpcmlirular
cliff. when it held firmly. The scene
on board, as df'
crjbed afh>r
they had all reachpd a plal:e of safety, had some comical feature:;.
'rhc pro):)pect of imuH'diate dt'ath made every onp Feel the desirability
of holding f:ome r('ligiou
l'rvi("e, hut tlwrp was nnt a
2ul on board
who had any pretension
to 1(' ahle to l'ondud an
:-:-orl of a 1I1eet illg
hut a political one, or to po::;
e:,.;:ing any of tIll' qualifiloation,.; lookt'd
for in a leader of a religiou:, lIlPl'ting. ft \Va!': th('J"(.fol't' forc('ll on
the Speaker of t1w House, :::;ir Harry Hmith, to retlù thl' prayer;; for
tho
(' in peril on tllP SPa. \rhilf' thr
tpnlller remained ill thi;o; P lriloll
1'IIsition in the midst of the boiling surf, the lives of aU on board
dppending" upon the stability of thp cahle, Duncan )fcLe'lll. fir:-:-t
mate õn the steame>r (a brotl1Pr-in-law of Capt. DUlle-ëln l{owall, of
Kincardine) got a few of thp ere>w to \olunteer to ro\\ with hilll
throup-h the stormy waters to Owpn
ouna, which vI'ldure
llllIe hip.
for S1lch a small noat in ';'{uch a gale>. W<l
succcs;:.fully acco1ll1'lishe 1,
anfl }wlp for the endangered vp:o::-:-pl and i t:-:- erC\\ of pas
l'ngpr:-; wa
promptly forwarded.
The position of warnen for the county \Va
held in lK,j!1 b., John
Valpntine, r('e>ve of Greenock. Owing to the l'-xtC'nt of the> di:;;t.f''';s
which prcyailcc1 in that ymr, t1w i
nf' awl
al(1 of Ill'\) 'ntll)"I" to
92
FIRST nRA:\DIAR SCHUOL
Il1l'et it, and also the cuunty building debenture by-law being twic
:,ulJluitted to the ratepayers, Mr. \
alentine's duties WLrè more thùn
usually OllerOll
. Hi
successor,
Ir. John Bruce, reeve of Brant, tne
warden for l
liO, had much le::;s arduous duties to occupy him during
hi
terlll of office.
The year l
(jO was comparatively uneventful as far as the county
of Bruce was concerned. A bountiful harvest bles8ed the year, the
s..tle of which brought into the hands of many a poor farmer of
Brul"e more money than he haJ cyer been the possessor of since he
had entered the bu
h.
The county town question 8till dragged. its weary way along with-
out coming any nearer a final decision. In 185t1 the question had
hecn referred to the Governor-General, who was then asl'l..eJ to select
a place. That. year and the following pa
::;ed without a place being
named. The rca
on for delay i8 rcvealed by the purport of a letter
\\Tittpn on the 3ht. May by the .Provincial 8ecrctarj I in which he
asks, "That the County Council give an opinion as to the most desir-
abll- place to name a::i county town, as owing to the contradidory
statements of different municipalitid, laill before His Exce;Iency
the Governor-General, it was difficult to arrive at a decision." The
County Council by a majority of two carricll a motion to the effect
that His .Excellency the Governor-Genf'ral f'hould seh,(.'t either one
of the t\\-O ,'illages, Kinl"ill'lliue or 'Valkerton, tl1P reason assigned
heing that each of these were located on the Durham Road. On the
Hth K ovember the Governor-GcneraP for the second time proclaimed
'Valkerton as the county town. The December se
sion of the County
Council, after most exciting discussions, select cd plans for the county
building
, but took no steps as to finding a site therefor, leaving
that. qm'stion to be settled by its 8UCCeSSorf'.
The cause of higher education in the county took a marked step
in 18ßO when the grammar ;:;dlOOI at Kincardine, the first in the
county, was established.
uuthampton made an effort at the sam,'
time to obtain a similar school, but failed to securp the consent of
the County Council to this request.
The year 1861 saw a change in the county officers. W. C. Bruce,
who had acted as provi
:ional clerk from the first, resigned his office
at the beginning of this year. He was succeeded by the lab George
lSir w. F. \Villiams was, at the above date, the administrator of the
Government, anfl the prodamation bears his signature.
GEORGE GOULD
93
Gould,1 who fillcd. the po
ition until hi:; resignation in Deecmber.
um3. During this long term of office the unvarying kind lines, of
heart and manner so characteristic of :Mr. Gould, combined with
his willingness to oblige, made him the most popular of public offic..'I':--.
During the summer of this year
Il". George Crolllar, the provisional
county treasurer, died. :Mr. Cromar entered upon the duties of
this office in 1858. During his absence in deotland in the following
year an issue of debentures had to be signed by the county treasurer.
It was therefore necessary to appoint someone to do so in his ab::.ellce.
Thomas Corrigan" a:; under these circumstances mane treasurer until
)[ 1'. Cromar's return, when the latter gentleman was re-appoilltccL
On )[r. Cromar's death
r r. Corrigan received the appointment. to
the office so vacated, the date bcing August 16th, 1861. In this year
:Mr. John Purvis once more filled the warden's chair, it being the
Eccond time thc honor wa:-; conferred upon hi m.
The gencral census taken in UHî1 shows what strides the county
of HnH'C' took in its infant da
:; By this census we learn that dur-
ing the nine years intervpning between it anrl. the preceding one, the
population of the county increased from 2,b31 to 2ì'.4!J!J, almost
ten fold, whilst the assessment in the same period increa
ecl from
n7,HHì to $3,9!)7.1R7, an increa5c of over twenty-sevcn fold.
This year witnessed another determined fight for the county town
in the provisional County Council. No time was lost in commencing
ho:,tilitil'
, a
we finel at the first me'-'ting of thc )'par a motion was
rac::
e(l to petition Parliamcnt to avoid the proclamation naming
\ralkerton the ('ounty town ancl to divi(le the county into two coun-
1 ÎP:". tll(' clivic1ing line to he the' town line of Brant and Elder
lie, the
17th and 18th concessions of Greenock ana thc 7th and 8th con-
IGeorg'p Gould was born at Enlliskillen, Ire]and, Kovemher .:;th, Ih
O.
\Vhell nine
'Nlrs of nge he rame with his parPllts to ('anada, ana l"('sided
at Toronto for some time. His father and grandfather both were soldiers,
tlw former hoJding a rommission in thp 86th Regiment. Mr, Gould received
his eduration at
ashvilJe, 'l'ennessee. The southern cJimnte not agreeing
"ith him, he returned to Canada in '1845, and pursued the profession
of surve;ror. IIe assisted in the Aurvey of five townships in the county
of Grey, and a]80 of Arran, Amabe], and AJbemarJc, in Brurc. He was
one of the first to takp up land in Arran, the location being where
Inn'rmny now is. He fined the position of county cJprk of Brurc from l
(il
until shorUv' hf'fore his death. "hirh orrurrf'd in Februarv, 1 "'!)(ì. His
son, Wj]]inri1 fo'. Gou]d, su('rPNlpd to his office. Ifp married on .Tanuar:-
] 9th, 1 R!)3, Elizn hpth Snowdf'n, of Owen Sound. Their hlUiJ
' consistcd
of fonr sons and two daughtprs. Mr. Gou]d's name is frequ('ntl
. men-
tioned in this history, h(> hnving filh'd man
' prominent rositioJls. In
private ]ife he was most porulnr and highly P:-tpI'IIU'(l.
94
JOSEPH W ALKER'S )IANDAMU
cessions of Bruce. The south part was to he called the county of
Bruce and the north the county of Saugeen, with Kincardine and
Southampton as the respective county towns. This action of the
County Council was met by Joseph Walker, Walkerton's champion,
obtaining a mandamus nisi asking the Council to show cause why
the erection of the county building::; should not be proceeded with
at 'Yalkertoll.. The council defended the suit and ultimately WOol
the case, but eÀperienced considerable difficult) in recovering their
costs. The loss of this lawsuit did not discourage Joseph Walkcr;
whatever effect it IDay have had upon his friends. he still showed
fight, and commenced without delay another suit. This time he
sought to obtain a mandamus directing that the county building::;
debentures be sold, and also directing that the Íund
so obtained
be used for the purpose specified in the debenture by-law. The
County Council defended this suit also, and again came out victor
in this contest in the court::;, .30 that the )ear clo!'ed with the county
town dispute heing as unsettled as ever.
The harvPRt of 18ßl was much below an average one. 'rhis fact
was used as the basis of a petition forwarded by the County Council
to the Governor-in-Council, "To remit the accumulated interest up
to tlIp end (If tlw y<,ar, and to extend the term for payment of pur-
cha
e money of tl\p public lands in the county of Bruce." The
Crown Lands Department having given notice that payment must
be made.
\.hout the 8:11111' time (March 6th, 1861) an order rescinding
the Land Improvement FundI was issued by the Governor-in-CounciL
The payments received from this fund by the various local munici-
palities had enabled much work to be done in the way of opening
up township roads. Possibly on account of the action of the gOVl rn-
ment, the United Counties Council passed a by-law to expend $2,050
during this year on the roads in Bruce, This wa::, the :first grant of
a comprehensive nature known to the county, though not the last
by any means.
The sole change among the municipalities of the county during
the year 1861 wa
the advent of the united townships of Amabel and
Albemarle as a separate municipality, the union of these two town-
ships with Ar
an having been dissolved by by-law of the United
Counties Council, passed in September previous. The first reeve of
this new municipality was the Rev. Luc1wick Kribs, a Congrega-
tional minister who had labored faithfully and successf
lly among
1S ce :\.ppendix O.
GOING TO GRAI
}IARKETS
5
the Indian::. as a llliséonary for a number of year::;, and finally took
up land at Colpoy's Hay and settled theleon.
rfhe provisional County Council for the yeal' 1
ô2, over which
J. T. Conaway presided as "arden, followcd the practice of the pre-
ceding councils in tackling the county town question in a vigorous
manner, but unly tu leave it unsolved a6 previou;:; council;:; had done.
_\ special committee appointed to consider the matter reported in
fa\ur of applying for a DiU at the next session of l'arlialllt'nt to
divide the county of Bruce into two counties, to be called Bruce and
\r all ace, of whie-h the county towns were to be Kincardine and
outh-
a11l1'ton re:-:pf'l:tin->ly. The asspnt of the municipal electors to this
proposition was to be obtained by a yote of the same_ A Bill1 to
thi
effect passed two readings of the Housc in 1863, but for some
reason unknown to the author it aid not obtain a third.
If the County Council of 1862 could not settle the apparently
interminable county town qUV::itioll they at lea:::t originated a sl:heme
of the utmost importance to the count}. namely. the comprehensive
system of gravel roads, which, although not approved of when voted
upon by the ratepayers in the following year, was, when again sub-
mitted in 1865, carried by a suhstantial vote. When we remember
thc nee(>
::;ity of good marh.f't;:; amI a rcady access thereto, we wonder
that the proposition did not carry at once, for good roads anrl safe
harbors were absolutely necessary for the developuH'nt of the county
in the days when railways were unknown in Bruce, for then farmers
when marketing their grain had to team it to some lake port, from
whence it would be shipped by sailing vf'ssel, or ebe to some statiun
on a line of railway, such as Guelph, Scaforth or Clinton. What
this nH)ant to a farmer in the back townships may easily be imagined.
Owing to the wretched condition of the roads in the fall of the year,
he had to wait until the !;leighing was good before he could seek a
markd. Then, having loaded his sleigh over night, he would make
an carly start and be miles on his way beforC' it was daylight. If
thc price of grain wa
satisfactory and the slC'ighing good, it would
not bC' long he fore he found himself in what seempd a long dra\\ n out
procession, so numprOl1
Wl're the grain-laden sleighs. The street,
of our lake-port villages were a busy scene in those days, when some-
times 10,000 bushels of wheat would be marketed in one day. To
save such long hauls, and that a market might be brought nearer to
the doors of the farmcrs of TIruf'e, the County Council advertized in
'Bill No.
!)
,
nù HN
., íth ParH., :?() \ït'.. 1 QIi:L
96
WOLF
CALPS
the Toronto daily papers during the SUlllmer of ItW2, offering to
bonus any railway entering the county. rrhe harvest of this year
was secured under most unfavorable conditions; many a farmer found
his wheat sprouted in the ear as it stood in the ::;took.
uch grain,
of course, was sold at prices that" ere a disappointment to those who
were only getting upon their feet financially, after the hard times
attending their settlement upon bush farms and clearing the same.
At Baie de Dore two villages had developed into business centre
,
known as Port Bruce and :Malta, which largely supplied the town-
hip of Bruce with all the merchandise required. On July 4th, 18(5
,
in some unrccordl'd lllanlier a fire started, and fanneù by a high
wind completely wiped out the..:e two villages, only a few house3 ueing
left. The los::; was so complete that the people seemed to have beco.l.e
disheartened and moved away with anything they might have saveJ,
instead of rebuilding. The result was that Underwood started up
and obtained the trade that previously had gone to Port Bruce and
)[alta, and nothing now remains of these two village:,' beyond a
nallle and the outlines of the stone foundations of some of the buill-
ings now 1110Rtly hidden by a dense growth of cedar.
In February, 1862, the last bounty paid by the county treasurer
for ., wolf
calps" ($6.00 each) seems to have been paid, the
recipients being Dr. Garner and n. Sperien, but whether the animtllò
were killed in Huron or Bruce is not very clear. ,y ohes were not
common after settlers came in, yet it was less than four years pre-
vious to the above date that a l\Irs, Sullivan obtained a grant from
the United Counties Council on account of her husband having "lo
t
his life from the effects of a desperate encounter with a wolf. "
e
recommend," the motion of Council goes on to say, "that the sum
of $60 he granted, as we conside! that the destruction of the animal
was a public benefit," a sentiment in which all might join.
In its early days Bruce had rarely, if ever, been favored by a
visit from any of the }paders in Canadian politics. So when it wa,
announced that the Hon. Geo. Brown was to speak in the Saugef'n
District in the interests of :Mr. John Mcl\Iurrich in the bye-election
for representation in the Legislative Council,! the enthusiasm of
TIThe Hon. James P
tton, representing the Saugeen District in the
1.. pper House of our LegIslature, had been offered a seat in the :M:cDonald-
8.icotte 1\finistr
, as Solicitor-Genf'ral, West. He was now seeking re-f'lec-
hon that he mIght assume office. but met with a defeat, :Mr. McMurrich
being Plected by a majority of 769. T11e date of this election was May
1st, 18G2.
JüHX UILLIE
97
)Ir. :Uc::\Iurrich'
supporters \Va:; unbounded. '"fen days b...fore the
day of voting )lr. Browu was at Kim'arùiue and spoke at a mL.eting
held in the town hall, a much :;llIaller building than the pre bent one,
and on that òay it wa:, crowded to it..; full capaeity. Thi::; wa.; the
only opportunity tlw fluthor evpr had of listcning' to a ::-PCpdl by
Ir.
Brown, and 11<' would willingly reeord tlll' purport of it if hi::, memory
of \\ hat wa:, Faill \\<1S more vivid and rctentive.
In the year LtH);
several ineidf'nt::= oceurred worthy of record in
a history of tIll' eount
.. At the g"L'neral election for th
Legi
lativc
... ...\
:'l'lIIhly, hdl1 in .June. .Jallll,:) l>il,k:;on was again returued a
the
repr('
('ntatin' for I hlI'on and Bl'lu'c. It wa
in th-! same year that
the village of Lucknuw, having ëlttaiuC'd gro\\ th sutlieil'nt to make
it de
irou::, to a
sullle the l\'gulatioll of it
own il1lprOVL'Illent:-" asked
to bp erected into a police village, which request till' l-;-llib'd Counties
Council, at its December session. complied with. It also Wà::, in 18G3
that a l'hange waF made in till' moùe of remUlH'rating town:;hip
tn'a:-,urI'!":"i for their :-:en"ie(':,. Pre\'iously. one item to he founù in
tllf' (.ounty p..;timate:, was that of the township treasurer:;' commis-
sion, which wa..; a pl'rcpntage of "! 1-'2 p
r Cl'lIt.
ÍlH.'l' lS()3 these
officers have been paid a fh.ed sum as a salary hy thpir 0\\ n munici-
pality.
The h,\'-law to i
sue $;
f){),()(I(, \\orth of rlebentu!"l'
for the pur-
po:,e of cOII
trnding graH.I road:, wa
\ oll.a upon L,\ the' ratepayers
",farch ::n
t. 1
(ì
. TIH' hy-Iaw càrricr1, hut by ::->1) narrow a majority
that although the LnÏtprl COllnti('
Council passed tllC' hy-Iaw in \pril,
it thought hc:;t to rcconsiòer its act ion, and at its .T une
es
ion rl'p,'alcù
thl' hy-Iaw; ('()II
'qu(,J\tly no deh('ntllrc
wprC' is:-:uC'll.
The business of the proyisional County Council for 1863 was pre-
silh.c1 orf'r hy John (;illil':-;.1 Of ib-; four :-'C:,:-:iOll:, thl' author has only
I.Tohn f:iIIi{'s \\as a nati\'p of thp parish of Kilralolllnpll, \rg.vlpshirf'.
"-hilp stiJI in his teclls II(' Ipft
rotland in (,ollll'anv with two hrothNs
to s('ek his fortnn(' in (':lIIalla, landing i
August, 1
'.")2. Shortly aftt'r h
sf'ttlel1 UPOII a farm in El'lerslie, of which township he was repve from
18,")7 to IRï3, hoth years ilH'lnsivp; he was also ward('n of the rounty
for th(' :.nars IS63. l')ô9, IS/O, IK71 amI 1"'7
. In politirs h(' was a
Lih('ral. lIe MICI'('ssful1
- <,ontpstcd the X orth Riding of Brurp, for the
House of Commons, with ('olonel A.. Sproat, in 1872. In 1874 hc was
u'-pl{'l'Ì('d b,v acclamation. In ISiS hc and Colonel Sproat once more wpre
c'
n
li'latps s{'c'king to b(' thl' rpl'r('sentativ(' of this constitupnc'y, Mr.
GIllIes again being sur('cssfnl, this tim(' h.\. a majority of 156 \'ot('s. In
I"'S
he \\ as dcfcat('d by Alex. :\[cX ('ill. TII(' foJIowing J.('ar be contesÌ('d
the same ridin
for the Ontario Legislaturp, his opponent being .Tamps
Rowand, and was {'lerted by a majority of I
O vot('s. In 1t-'t8 Mr. Gillic's
was al'pointN} I'oli('p magistratc at Sault 8ft,. Marie. His death occnrrPll
Ðpc('nÜJl'r 10th, 1889.
.)
98
PINKERTON AS COUNTY TOWN
been ablc to obtain t.he minutes of those of the session held on Octo-
ber 16th and 1,th. One motion then l)a
sed shows what action had
been taken during the early part of the year in regard to the county
town. The motion referred to reads: "That whereas at the last
meeting of the provisional Council of the county of Bruce held at
Port Elgin, it was agreed by this Council that any place which should
obtain a majority of votes was to be the county town for the county
of Bruce. And whereas Pinkerton obtained such majority, therefore
be it resolved that this Council take the necessary steps to have the
county buildings precteil at Pinkerton with the least possible delay:'
The motion was lost on a vote of 6 for, 14 against. ...\.t this same
meeting of the Council, and after a number of motions had been
proposed to settle the vexed question, a surprising proposition, con-
sidering that it came from two represcntatives who lived in Kin-
cardine, was proposed. It was moved by \Villiam Sutton and seconded
by John
IcLay, "That whereas this Council have shown by their
votes on se\ eral ò('('asions their inability to settle the county town
at Pinkerton, Southampton, Kineardine or Paisley, therefore it is
desirable under the circumstances that the Council should at once
go on with the erection of the_county buildings at \Yalkerton," etc.
The change of the two yotps from being opponentci of Walker ton to
upporters of it gave the necessary majority in its favor, and there
was promptly passed a by-law appointing a committee to purchase
the necessary
ite for the buildings, to advertise for tende:f1S, to let
contracts, ana directing the treasurer to pay orders issued by the
committee.
One wouln almost expect the foregoing to be the conclusion of
this long fought out question, but not so. The provisional County
Council of the following year upset the whole matter at its first
meeting. After electing J ames Brocklebank as warden for 1864, it
proceederl to consider the report presented by the Building Com-
mittee, which, slightly abbreviated, reads as follows: "At the last
meeting of your honorable body, held 22nd December, 1863, your
committee reported: That they had purchased and paid for a suit-
able site from George Jackson, whereon to erect the county build-
ings, for the sU!ll of $600. That David :Murray, of Guelph, had been
appointed architect. That your committee had advertized for ten-
ders. That the contract had been given to John Elliot, of Brant-
ford, for the sum of $21,136.95. That your committee had been
prevented from carrying out the instructions of the Council, owing
RATEPAYERS VOTE ON COVXTY TOWN
U9
to the warden's refusal to sign the contract, with other particulars.
Which report your honorable body adopted. Your Council at said
meeting, owing to the warden's continued refusal to sign the contract
or vacate his seat, appointed John McLay chairman, and by resolution
instructed him in behalf of the Council to sign the contract, which
was done in open Council. That Mr. Elliot refuses to go on with
the erection of the county blLildings till the contract is signed by the
warden." The committee appointed to cOll::iÏu.er this report com-
mend
rr. Gi11ies, the e
-warden, for refusing to :;Ïgn the contra<:t.
Both reports had ele, en votes for and against. The minutes (10 not
say so, but the warden mu
t hme gi\en his casting ,ote against the
Building Committee report, as it was dropped, and the Council
petitioned l)arliamellt to pass an Act repealing all .Acts having refer-
ence to the county town question, and empower the ratepayers to
choose by vote "hich of two places, Kincardine or Paisley, be the
(.ounty town of Druce. The Legislature acquiesced and passe(P
.,
\n
\ct to void the proclamation declaring 'Valkerton the' county
town of the county of Bruce, and to enable the municipal electors
of the said county to select a county town." This Act did not limit
places to be voted upon, as requested, but inserted a clause which
resu1t
d in the end sought for being as far off as ever, in that the
place selecte"d must" receive the af:sent of the majority of a11 per-
!'CJnS entitled to vote at such election." The election was held on
September 20th, 18G-!, with the following result: Paisley, 1,632;
Kincardine, 1,403; Walkerton, 1,110; Southampton, 78; Invermay,
1; Hiversdale, 1.
uch a futile result, none of the places named
having obtained a plurality of votes, made the majority of the
Council desperate and resulted in a motion being passed to petition
Parliament" to abolish the provisional County Council and remodel
the tract of country compri:-;ing thp ('Olllltit:-j of (}rpy, Bruce, Huron,
Pprth and 'VpUington and its division into counties of compact form
and size, in order to avoid the clashing of opposite interests which
inevitably exist when counties are of irregular form and unwieldy
('xipnt." The result of the contract for the buildings not being gone
011 with was the payment to the contraL'Ìor and architect of $500
and $300 respectively for compen::;ati.on. An effort to ('Ired sanlt'
kind of a compromi:-f' by way of giving good roads and improved
harhors to Kincardine and Routhampton in lieu of these villages
waiving' their claims to fh.. "'Hlnt\" to\\ II in !a\"OJ o (If Paisl('
' or
J27-2R Vie'. Chap. 77.
100
TWO HEGISTRARS OF DEEDS
Walkerton dId not carr
'. hut it. 111<1)' ha\e had ::iome weight when the
gran
l roach ùy-law wa
:-:nbmitted in the followlllg year.
Two railway propo::Útiuns were laid befon> the peuple of Bruee
in UH3J. One by F. bhanly, C.E., which wa:-: to eUll::it.ruct a rùad
running nort.h from tIll' main line of the Graml Trunk Railway at.
Guelph and known a::i the .. "
ellington, Grey and Bruce Uailway:'
This had bonthampton nallled a::i the point where it wa::; to read1
Lake Huron. The other projected railway wa
known as the" Strat-
ford and Huron Hailway;' which had Kineal'lline nauwc1 a::' its lake
h'rmiulls. Both road:; were ::;anl:tioned hy
\et of Parliament this
-: ear. The nanw:-: of ::;everal Bruee r('PYéi' appenr in the li;-;t of eac:h
of these companies so seeking iUl:orpuration, inc:icl('ntally ::ihowing
how anxiou:-,ly looked for wa:-: the alht'nt of a railway, wherever it
might be laid to. ::-:0 long a:-: it entered the eounty of Drul:(-'. rrhese
projects were considered by the County Council which, without com-
mitting ibclf to either. offl'red a bonus of $...l:(In.noo, to bp paicl on the
completion of tlw rail" ay.
Thol1H\s rorrigan. who had held the po::-:ition of counly treasurer
since August, 1861, resigned in May, 186-1. _\.le\:ander Sproat was
a ppoin te(l his snCCl'
or.
\Jlot her dl<lnge in l:ounty oftkia Is \\ilS
that of the regi,trarship. The appointment of )f r.
. Hammond
to thi:, office wa
cance'lled early in tlw year hy the government, and
1Ir.
1uhn )[rLay, Tl'eye of Huron Township, was appointed to it.
"11 r. Ilaulllwml rcfu::,eJ tn :-:nrn']l(ler tll(> books. Ultilllately )fr.
IelÆY forcihly ohtniu('(l po:-::;ps:-:ion of tlw ..:allle. but the inronw.ni-
(']1("1' to_ tlIl' public \\",1:' great while the eontpution lasteù. whieh was
:-:dtled ùy the courts, but not until 1868. 1
\. chal1gp in the nwmher
for the
angeen division in the Legislatiye Conncil occurred this
year, D. L. MacphEirson obtaining the seat, which he held until his
dtath thirty-three' year..: later.
I r. Snyder. of (hn'n Souml. was the
otllf'r f'anclirlaÌl' in this flection.
The year 1865 is a memorable O1W in the history of the county
(\1" Bru
é, witnr:-,sing as it did the pas
ing of the graYl'l roall:". by-law
by a vote of the ratepayers, the conclusion of the battle for the
county to\\ n. a1ll1 the final
dtlellwnt of that trouùlesomp quC':,tion.
James Brockléhank was in 1R65 again f'lertec1 to fill the warden's
chair. Thp first m(,l'tin
for that
'l'nr of tlw pl'oyisional County Coun-
cil was held in Kincarc1ine. After some desultory yoting about the
'fn the Proyilu'ial estimate's for 18ï1 is this item, "To reimburse
.fohn )[d.ay for I"Osts iIlI'UlTea 1". him ;/1 re H
lm\l101111. $l,IH)ïAG."
LAST OF THE COUNTY TOWS COXTEST
101
county town, which did not further matter::: in any way, thE: fol-
lowing motion carried, "rrhat a cOlllmittee of five be balloted for
to lImit a pt'titiûIl to the Legislature praying for the pa
sage of an
.\d dedaring Paisley the {:ount} town of llrtll:e, in aecoTllal1l:e ,\ ith
the Illajority of ratl'payer
, \\ IH'n giyen at the l.lOll held for that pur-
pose." After the abo\ e motion ,,-as carried, a committee wa::; appointeJ.
to :-:cled a site for the cuunt.' huilding
at I)ai
ley. This committee
l'ledl'd a
itc \\ hich wa.:; tu lun e co::;t $300. They al:,o arrang\'ù
\\ ith
r 1". Elliott, the eontmctor, to cred the hllil,lillg
ill Pai:-;ll'Y at
an alh aIWC of $,),00(1 on'r hi
cOlltratt pri<"e for thf'ir en.t:tioll at
""alkertol1. The report macle by this cOlllmittee. when presented at
th(' next meeting of the Cuunty Council, Wêl::; not adopted, an amend-
n:eut heing carrie(l to the following d1't.'l't. .. That ::;tel'
be imme-
(liatcly taken for the eredioll of the l'OUllt
" huilding
at \ralkL'rlOll,
and that the "artlen do ::;ign the ('ontraet fur the :,aml'." This
motion was followed by another, which is here given in full, a
it is
thc la:--t motion that C'arril'd, although not the last motion yotrd upon
in the Council regarding this long, \ exatious and wearisome dispute
that hall Ia
tl'd l'igbt years, tr,' inf[ the patieIH'(' of the ratl'payl'J's
filld making th_em aImo:,t (l"..;.pair of a
ettklllPnt. TIll' motion realb:
"
lon'(l b., \rIll.
ult()ll, :--('('onded hy Paul 1:0:-':0:. That the warden
petition the Legislature in behalf of this Council for a bill to repeal
all I'a
t .\et8 ha,ing r('[('),('II('(' to thp ('ount," to\\Jl of Bru("p, alld to
pa:--:-- a Bill appnilltillf[ \\"all-,,'rto11 tb(. l'ollnty tOWII of Bruce ill H("('ord-
anN) with the actif)l1 of this C'ölllH'il:' The, ote a:-: taken was-yeas 13,
J1ay
10. One of the r('
lIlt
of the aho\(' del.ision \Va.", the ('ntering
of a suit against the county to compel the Council to erect the eounty
I,lIilding
at Paish'y, tIlt' plaintiff:-: 1)(,ing .fohn \
ah'ntiJ\(', .fohn
Cillip,.:, .fohn 1rc'lillan, .r. n. :::;hC}lIll<lIl. Samupl T, 1:0\\"(',
imon
Hlld Thoma!': ordwrd. I'arlialllt'nt aCl"(,(kd to thl' IH'tition of 1hl'
Council and passeù an Act, asscntf'ò to V)th
eptclllber, 1
(ì.),1 which
dp('lart'd \ralkt'rton tl\(. ('ount," to\\ II. al:,o le!!.alizing tl1[' hy-la\\
appointing t}w Hllil(ling COl1l1llitt('P. alld dil'l't'tinf[ all legal proceed-
ing!=; against the ,Çounci1 in the matter to he staYf'd, and din'ding
the Council to pay all costs of such proceedings. The costs incurred
hy thp plailltiff
.
;)fI
.(lII. \\I'I't' ,Iul.," p.lill {)I'('l'ml)('r -Hh, l
fi;), aIllI
thp ('Ollllty town 'IlIp,..tion lwl"aIllP a thing .of tIlt' pa!':t.
At the J unp ses:-:ion. 18(ì5. of the Cnited Counti('
Council the
Boall awl Rri(lgl' ('Ollllllih('(' of BI'I\('I' Itrolifrht in it 1"f'port rl'C'om-
'
9 Yif', ('hap ()().
102
GRAVEL ROAD CONTRACTS
mending a scheme of gravel roads, also the spending of $16,000 uU
improving other road::;, as well as the spending of $22,000 on improv-
ing the following harburs: $10,OUO at Kincardine; $3,000 at Inver-
huron; $3,UUO at Port Elgin and $6,00U at ::;outhampton; and that
debentures for $
U,UlIU be issued to pay for the same. .Å by-law
to the above effect was voted upon September 21:;t anù 22nd, 1t;65,
and carried by a majority of '/38. The by-law was then passed at a
special meeting of the United Counties Council held for that purpose
october 5th, It;G5, at which session a cUUlmittee was appointed to
carry out the f'l'heme. L. B. Hamlin was appointed engineer, and
l'_t' immediately got out the necessary profile plans, and at the
December meeting of the Council fifty-eight tenders were recci ,oed.
The work of constructing thc gravel road::; and builùing a bridge
?t Paisley "as let in eight cOlltracts, at a total of $167,397. Extras
lur about $3G,50ll were suhsequently allowed. The total cost of the
gravel road ::icheme was
1!H).'ì0-l.ì5. The work at the harbors was
let in the following year.
It was thought that a separation of the two counties could be
dfeded at. the end of the year 1865, and an arrangf>ment was maùe
aclju:-:ting the accounts hetwren the two counties, the principal item
heing the a;-:
uming by the l'Ollllty of Huron of
:233,OOO and by the
county of Bruce of $55,000 of the united counties' indebtedne::;s to
the :Municipal Loan Fund. The Governor-General was also petitioned
to dissolve the uniun by prorlamation. This was not complied with
ju4 th('n, owing to the> incomplete state of the gaol and court house,
and :--0 tIlt' unioll la
tl'ù until the end of the following year.
\hout this tin1\', tlll' flays of the American Civil 'Val'. this COUll-
try was flooded \\ ith
\merican silver ('oins, owing to the depreciation
of tlH' rnited
tate::, currency. For a time this foreign coinage
J.a.ssed at par, hut the bulk of it at length became so great that hank
hills WNP to a largl> e\:tf'nt put out of circulation. )[erchant;; made
thpir remittancc:; to the whule:--ale hon'f'
at Toronto or :Montreal in
silwr, hnndrech or thousands of dollar
at a tinlP. It was not until
a cli
count of 'W pel' CPIlt. wa
put upon it that the influ"\: was stopped.
The people of thi-: county, in f'01l111l0n with others, lost heavily
tll('rph
T.
\mong the' entries in the county trea-.:urer's books at this
tiUH' is to he found the item. "Discount on American silvf'r."
The agitation for a railway into the county continuecl in 1
65,
the route suggpsted being different from either of those herein men-
tioned when relating the incidents of the preceding year. This time
" ,
.'\
-
\tf' ·
''"' <, w.',
....1 ,.
.... '
"
'....t
.
,:..,
1; #
:
""I
'., t
Co_' · 9 '
.: . ;." c'
... !II. ,"
.,
t ''''It'
" ..'0('
,
'I
,r;
. ,.It, t.
þ';',
' ,,',
u
. .. _" ,
, .'
1"
, ..
,. " --. '.' . .,' \. . ',. r
.' tJ.",.. ...... 1_. t.-
' . I .' '."" f '
. ::tf6
'-;."t ':'." ...
.
"'
Ìa\! ''{..
i, ' t., I
'" .l.''i.
. ...... ;t." , '...,.
:
,,:,,\
, J \"
__ _"'.0
. 0
, .... .
- . -.,;to.4'"." . . -
.
\I
i.'*' \
.
..
.""
, ' .
YC-..
t.. --:a!
.
..,.:.
..
'"' 3.. "<:.,
". .. .
-' . i(''':
..
.
- .-l-s
...
-..-Ó'
. )r
.. .
. ... ,
.
'.:; z
'Ä':.t. ' ...
"'1:
. is '-.9 ,
10;.... .
I' . t..
i'-
A X r,
. i. J !/. of
S.
, ..
.., ",
.....
..,
;::
:i
,.
..
..
).
r
"....
7-
:)
f-<
:.:I
:(
-<
>
,
..
- I
..5'
:)
-
.::!
Z
-<
r
n
:z:;
..
!::
::;
:)
:J
I
"
COU
TY BL'ILDI
GS CO'IPLETED
103
the route proposed was to ;:;tart from ;:;ome point on the Sorthern
Hailroad, to pass through the, illagc of Durham and the southern
townships of Bruce and find a lake port at Kincardine. In support
of this scheme the County Council petitioned the Governor-General
to honus such a line of railway.
rrhe raid made by the Fenian:- ill IbÖlJ called to arms the volun-
teers of Bruce, who prumptly rc::;punded and as;selllbled at Goderich,
\\1H're an attack was looked for. The feature:- of this marshalling
of our volunteers is dwelt upon fully in another chapter in this book,
ùc\-oted to ")[ilitia anù Y olunteers:'
During thi
ypar good p1'Ogress was made in (Oolllpletillg the con-
trads for gran'1ling the l
adiIl
roalls and on work at the harbors
at Kincardine, 1 nverhuroll and
outhalllpton. The" eather was
not favorable for this work, resulting in many contracts not being
completed until the follo\\ ing year. The a::;
umillg a
county roads
of "the public highwa
's known a
the tiOLleridl and Saugcen Road,
Durham, Elora. Kin]o:--
, Culross and '" orthern Roads," was one of
the most marked acts in 1866 of the United Counties Council that
affected the county of Bruce.
J ames Brocklebank, for a third term, he1ù. the position a
warden
of the county in 18(iG. and pre:-:ide<l uver thf' la:,t of the provisional
County Councils, which, compared with its predecessors, had a tran-
quil term of offi('(.. Xo qUf'
tion of moment amse and it
sc:-:sion:,
were largel
' takrn up with ('ofi!:::iùf>ring report
of the Building Com-
mittre. Thi:, committt.e 111<1111' an earnest effort. to gl.t thp eounty
huilrlings a(haÎJ(.'eù enough to ht' aecepteù by thl' BOHnl of Prison
In::::pectors brfore the lllf'eting of tIll \ .Tune sf':,sion of thp eounril.
This could not bc accompli::::hc(l, anll it was not until SO\ ember 1:st
that the committee reported the gaol and court house as complete.
Thp ro::t of thp
f> huihlings was grcatC'r than e\.pl'dC'd whell the con-
tract
W4-'re ld, ann it wa
found ncce
ary to pa
:-; a ny-law to raise
*20.000 to pa
' for the C'omplction of them. R(\ing
o late in the
year, the òi::::
oh'ing of thC' union of tl1f' countip
was po:,tponf'd until
the cnd of the
P3r, tlwrf'hy :--,lying trounlc in r1osin!.!' up tlt(' joint
3ccount.:: of the Ì\"O coulltiC'i'.
CHAPTER \T II.
FULL DErELOPJIEST ATTALVED.
1Bü7-1bSl.
THE} ear 18ü7 is a noted one in the historY of the county of Bruce,
a
it is the year which marks its entrance into the ranks of those
counties within the province that had attained the dignity of being
fI separate municipality. The union of the counties of Huron and
Bruce was dissolved by a proclamation of the Go\"crnor-General, the
diSiSolution taking place December 31st. 1KíHî. so that Xe\\ Year's
Day, 18ü7, witnessed a marked ehang p in the municipal statu
of
this l"onnty.
] t might not IJC amiss at this point to con(;isely recall the ,"arious
form
of municipal gm-ernlllcnt Bruce as a <,ounty haa knmrn. The
first attf'mpt to constitute a municipality \\<1;;:; abortin
, it being the
union of an of tlw county of Rrucc with the united townships of
\Vawanosh and
\<.;hfield, as directed by the District Council of Huron
ip ]R-!
', a union not contt'llIplat<,a or f:u:;;tained hy ::-tatute. This
so-called union ('nlh.a after a duration of two Yl'ar
on December
:ilst, 1831.
\.iS a separate municipality thi:, territur,\ wa
first known
as "the united town
hips in the county of Rrllce:' This endured
only for two ypars, 1852 and 1853; thell (.T anuary 1st, 1854) came
the diyision of the county into separate local lllunicipalitif--:-. con-
si:-:ting of one or more townships, each of which sent a representative
to the TTnited Counties Council of Huron and Bruce. This continued
i!uring the years 1R?)4-5-6. The next change in the forlll of muni-
cipal life commenced in 1857, whf'n the provisional County Council
was created and lived-the centre of a storm which raged over
the county town question-until its existence terminatC'd Dl'cemher
31st, 1866. The next era in the municipal life of the count
T com-
mene-ed whpn the reeves 1 of the various minor municipalities. twenty-
three in number. assl'mhled on January 22ncl, lR67. and organized
as the County Council of the county of Bruce.
ITht> elpction whi('h had resultetl in the returning of these genth'men
as repvps was thp first elp<'tion at whi('h 1.C'eves were elected by the direC't
vote of the ratepa.H>rs. Prior to lR6í. thp Coun('il of ea('h ]o('a] munÍC'i-
pality ('hose its rf'f'Ye, as now the County Coundl ('hooses its warden.
104
FIRST COTT
TY OFFICIALS
105
The fact of being a ::;e}Jarate county rCy'uil'cù the appointment
of certain officials, cïthet> by the government or by the Count) Council.
The following li::;t give::; the names (If all who "ere appointèd to
offiee in ]tW7, lllo::;l of "hollll"ontinueù in oUiet' fur man) )"ea..
aftcr:
.r. J. Kinf!slllill,l County .J m1ge; \rilliam ;::;uttOJl, 81lf'riff: n. W.
Hoss, County A itorury anti t'Irrk of the Peace; William Gunn,2
Clerk uf the ('oullty COlLrt: .J olm
lcLay, Hl'gi::;trar: J a me::; Brockle-
hank, Warden;
\lex. f:,}Jroat, UUUllt) Treasurer; George Goulù,
County Clerk; AleÀander Shaw, County bolieitor; Latham B. Ham-
lin, County Engineer; \Ym. ()lùright, )I.D., Gaol
urgeon; Bamuel
Uoether, Uaoler; William Uiehard::;on, Caretaker of County Build-
in
:;;; JalllC,:; Bellson, In;-;pcctor of \reights and :\[easures.
The separation or the eountie
of Huron anù Bruce antedated
the Confederation of the Dominion of Canada by six months.
Shortly after the latter \\ M accompli::;heù, a gcneral election was
Ill'ld. Bruce haù been di, idecl for reprf'sentation pllrposrs into two
ridings. The following Wi.l!-, the 1'1':;ult of the election then helù for
the H()u
e of Common::::: In
ul'th Bruce Lieut.-Col.
\leÀ.
proat
-
'.John .ltwhl'reau KiJlgsmill,
L\., I).C.L., held the position of .Judge
within the ('ounty of Bnt('c for tw('n(v-tiv(' years, retiring to\\ard the end
of 11'191. During this long term of ofJìcp hp retained the respect and con-
fidence both of th(' Bar aJl(I thp gpueral public. IIp
as born in the city
of Quphe(', 1\fa
' 21st, lk
!}, and was of Irish Il('seent, being 3 son of
CoJ. Wm. }(ingsmilJ. III' studipd at Fpper ('allaùa Collpgc, Toronto
C"nivNsity, amI Trinity ('ollpgl'. III' f"omllll'ncpd the pral"tice of law at
Guf'lph in Htï:L Afh'r retiring from thp hen('h h(' lwcamc a parhH'f in
th(' law firm of Kingsrnill,
alllldl'rS &. 'l'orranc(', Toronto. .Tuùgp Kings-
mill was rnarripd four timl's. III' was a prnmillt'nt JlH'mher of thp (,hurch
of England. His d('ath O('cul"rpd \\ hile at SP:J. OIl a vo
agl' to nl'noa, Italy,
February, 1 !IOO.
\Vi))iam Ounn was horn, 1\lay, 11\](i, IlI'af Cilasgow. \Yh('n twpnt
r
Yl'ars of agf' hc (':lInp to ('allatÌ:I, }"I'siding first at l'fl'S('ott, from WhCIlCf',
in 1
:J"I, h(' r(,lIIo\','d to K i IIgston. I n hot h I'la('l's he was in the pm ploy
of I:trg'P shippillg firms. III lS-lS lIP \\"pnt to l\apanl'(, and o('l'n('d up a
g(,lu'ral ston'; mo\ illg frolll th,'r('. hI' ('allle to Killl"anlinp in l
.ï
. an(1
tor a short tilllP hall a storp tllPre. ()nee mOl"(' he mO\'l'cl, this timp to
Inv('rllllron, HII(1 for fourtpl'n )"I'ars l'OIHlul'Ìl'd a gCIlPral ston' tlll'rl', al'ting
also as I'ostlllastl'r. HI' \\as LCIl'HI HIII','rint('ndl'nt of
I'hools in \"','st
Bruf'l' from 1 "I.ï3 to I S.'jS i lIf'lusi VP. J 11 1H.ï!} h(' ":11'1 el"('Ìl'd 1'1'1'\,' of
thp to\\ IIship of Brtlf"l'. 111' adf'tl :18 (','nsus ('ornmissioll('r in Bru('('
('OUllt\" wlll'n th,' ('('JlSIIS was takl'n in l
Gl, ancl when tIll' ('OItntv of
Brul'l'
was Rl'parat,'d from Huron lIP rl"'I'Í\'('(1 the appointnlPnt of (h:l'ut.\
,.It'rk of till' ('I"(}WII and of th,' Hurrogatp ('ourt. whi('h ofJì('p hI' hf'1tl until
his tll'ath. In l
sn
Ir'. Gunn was appointpd h.,' th,' })ominion Govern-
mpnt to visit
('otl:lI\(1 a 1\(1 Hollan,l to in(luirp into and rl'port on the
Iwrri ng /ish i IIg i ndustr.r. HI' m31"ril'fl Husan Douglas, ila ugh tl'r of George
DOIIJ.5las, of Kingston. His dl'ath o('('urred l:Jth ""ovl'm1wr, 1 "I!}4. II,> "as
ur\"lv('d h," hut onl' son, William, who hH:; lwltl for man." y,>ars a position
111 thp ('mploy (If th,' (;o\,('rnml'nt at Kingston.
106
SALT WELLS
"as returned, and in South Bruce, FraneÍs II urùon; the UnSUlTe:55-
ful candidates being respectively Dr. Robert Douglass and \Ym.
Rastall. To the Provincial Honse of
\..ssembly, Donald Sinclair
was returned by acclamation for Korth Bruce, while in South Bruce
Hon. Edward Blake wa;; the succe
sful candidate, defeating James
Brocklebank, the warden.
The
uccessful opC'ning of the .salt industry at Godcrich this
year induced the County Council to offer a bonus of $1,000 to any
one who would sink, within the county of Bruce, an artesian well
to the depth of 1,000 feet in search of ðalt, the bonu
to he diYideù
if more than one well WNe sunk. This led to wells being sunk at
Kincardine,
outhall1pton and rort Elgin. In the following year
salt was reaehc<1 at Kincarùine at a depth IC':,
than a thousand feet,
bu t the wells sunk in the other two places failed to yield salt. The
base of the Onondaga formation, in which salt is to be found, eomes
to the surface at the mouth of the ::;augepu River, so the attempt to
obtain salt at the two latter places was an ill advised one, but it has
been partial1.,' recompensed by the ohtaining of a flow of excellent
mineral water that now enjoys a widespread patronage. The Kin-
cardine company which sunk the well there rpcpiveJ
()OO as its
share of the bonus, and the 80uthampton company $400.
On the 20th October, 186" the Commercial Bank, in which the
county account Wèb kl'pt, failed. At thi
time the county treasurer
held $12,0()() of tlw bills of the hank, part of \vhich wa:-; intended to
pay $7.000 of l"()UpOlU: falling due on the first of the following
month.
\
the county}' as consequently very awkwardly plaeec1, the
county trea:-:urer at once started for 11Ql'onto to do all that was pos-
sible to protect the credit of the county. On arriving there he found
financial circles very much excited over the failure, so much so that
it was at first impossible to raise any money, although he offered to
put up $10,000 of Commercial Bank bills as security for a $6.000
loan. The Honorable D. L. j[acpherson, Senator for the ßaugeen
Division, came nobly to the rescue of this part of his constituency,
and offered, "rather than see the credit of the county of Bruce in
the least depreciated, to advance the requisite acount." Fortunately
the crisis was tided over, and that, too, without accepting the honor-
able gentleman's liberal offer.
The year 1868 may be given as that when railway matters com-
menced to take a deep hold of public attention in "Bruce. In the
previous year a delegation had addressed the County Council in the
interests of a line from Toronto. It was 1868, however, when mat-
BATTLE OF THE nA"CGES
107
ters were urgently brought before not only the Council, but the gen-
fral public as well. Of tlw sl-'\l'ral railway
chl'me,..;. discus:-l'd through-
out the county about thi
time Ínterc:-:t
ettlcd chiefly UPOll the JIIerit:-
or df'merits of two propo:;:itioll:-:. namely. that of the Toronto, Grey
and Bruce Railroad and that of the "
ellington, (1rf'Y and Bruce
Railroad. The fÌr:-:t lllf'ntion('11 wa:; to he a narrow
!"1l1gf' road, ana
Kine-ardine was the lake port it aimea to reae-h. The othf'r com-
pany. w'nf'Tal1
T rf'ff'rrf'(l to at that timf' a
"t1w widp gauge;' in
contraaÜ:tinction to th(' otl1Pr.
ought to pas
from th(' south-eastern
corner of the county to Southampton, and was backed by aU the
influencf' that Hamilton ('ouM hring to hear, to
f'curc the promi
c<1
honns offf'rpc1 hy the ('onnty. \(1:1111 Rro\\"n, ThoJlla
'Vhitl' and
'Yilliam
[diivern, of Hamilton. were its most prominent adyorates
an(l
p('aker!' in support of it
claim!' for appro\"a 1. Thp other l"om-
pan
'
tro'.e jl1.;;;t as harll. with Toronto at it:, ba('k. anll with .Tohn
Ooraon anò Oeorgp I..ai(l1n\\ of Toronto to
ppak of it
a(hantagd
at t1w vaTiou:; puh1ic n1('pting
l"allec1 to con:-:ider railway matter:,. In
no politieal f']cdion PH'r Jlf'l(l in Rrnce ha
e:\citl'Bll'nt run hi,!!llf'r
than it dill in thi
rnihn1
' ('ontl':,t. "
alkerton. with the eastf'rn and
]]orthflrn town..:hipt;;:. fayoreò t hp .. will(' gange." a::: tIlt' ronte pro-
pfY.':('(l wa;;: \"pry fa\"orahJ(' to thpm. On the othpr halHl Kincar(lim
i1n(l thf' town:-:hip=, a long tl)(' :o:ouHlf'1'n hounclnry fa\on'll thl' " nano\\'
gang-('." it
pl'opo:-:f'(l routl'
l1iting t}WIII he
t. Tt wa
urg('(l in f:1\or
()f Ow "nnrrow gnuge" thnt. a
it wa..;: an in(lt'ppntlpnt roall. Brl1('t.
,,-oulcl he under no railroncl monopoly. whf'f('a:o: till' winl' :!ilU!!t' was
to hp l('a
flcl. C'f]uippl',l :11111 rnn a
R hran('h of thp Grcnt 'Yestprn
Railrna(l. rf'('('ntly amnlgamat('(l with fJw Grand Trunk Raihva
..
Rut thf' "wiclf' ga11g-1"" p('opll" pointptl out that frf'ight f'hippec1 on
it wouM Dot ref]uir(' triln
hipmenf on reaching Toronto. thp gauge
hping a
tnn(larcl 011('. ancl ('ar
roulcl go from Hnwl' dirf'd to nn
markC't. Rut many felt hittprly n
aim:t thp Orand Trunk Railway
in("f' it
nmnlgamatioD with Hlf' Or('nt 'VI,..:tf'rn l{ailroilll hp('au
l' of
a
f'1"iOl1S n(hancl" in fJ'('igllt rntf'
. Rf'fo1"c' amalgamatioTl thl' rate
from OUl"lph to 'fonfrf'nl \\n!=
-t!) J)('r ('nl' nncl ]
(,I"nb on I'a('h
hll
hpl of whl"at. .\fter thl" roacl
w('1'(' ama1gamatf'cl tIlt' rntf' wa
rni
('n to $(ìO ppr car ancl 21 ('('nt
pl'r hu
hl'l for wlwat. rntpH that
w('rl" jur..:tJy
tatl"n to n(' f'"\tortionnte. 'f nn.\ ot}wr nrgun1f'nt
OTI
hoth siclf'
\wrl" l1
l"n. hut th(' ahoyp C'on
titutpil tlw grollnclwork of
nl"nrly all of them. hesi(l('
indiC'ating how opinions might be biased.
""aiting for thfl ('on:;;ff11('tion of R rail\\'ay '\fl
n tf'niou
mattpr.
To hritl.
p ()\pf t}lfI inft'f\"nl. antl ohtain dH'f1ppr frl"ight I'nmmlmit'n-
]OS
FIRST CAPIT.AL PUNISH.:\IENT
lion to \\ alkerton than was paid for tCelllling good
all the way from
l; uelph, the di
tan<..:e Iwing 0\ er :Úxty mill':-:, ....mne of the enterprising
eltizen:-: of the forme!" phH:l' purl"haseJ at thb time a traction engine,
to ue ucil'd to haul fn'ight from aml to Kiueardine. L nfortunately
the alllount of
lll"CI':-:- they met \\-ith wa
not equal to the enterprise
shown. Their laek of :;UlTI':-:::; ell'O:3e from want of bridges substan-
tiëll l'llOUgh to can,\" :-:lll:h a heavy engÏlw; beÛde;:; thi", the grade;:; at
'"'0 H! l' of the hill:-: \\"1'1'1' found to be too
H'l'p to enable, a profitable
j oad to ue Ita uled up them.
The completion of the gnnel road contracts resulted 111 lll<lI.lY
daim
for extras; thl':,e in Ulany ea:-:l'S were c\:l:cssive and were l:on-
h."t('d, with the rl':,ult that the (Oounty helll at one time to defend
:;;i \ ::;llits of this tll':.wriptioll.
\\
hen settler:-:. purdl<l'ed their bUtih-Iot;:; from the Cro\\ 11 e\t the
.. big ., land
all' in l
.)-!, ol' ('arlier, as the ca::ie might be. one of the
{'oJlll i tion:-: of the :-:a Ie wa:- that pa
mellt for the same wa::; to be maùe
jJl t('n annual in
ti1lmellb. In l:a:,e
of ill health, poor cmps, bush
1i I'e:'. or other HI i ..;f'ortunes, the "ett IeI' found him
e1f unable to carry
(jut this condition: the l:lIn
l'(lul'1H'1' \\":l:, an ac('umulatio11 of arrears
anù interest that amounted in many instances to a considerable sum.
To :-:uch unfortunatl':, there camc. a
the knell of doom, the announcc-
1IlPIlt ma<1e hy thp t'nlllll1 Î,.;:;:imH'J' of Crown Lands on October 23rd,
I:-Hi:-i. th:1t it wa'"' tIll' intl ntioll to ('nfon'e }Jaymcllt on all arrears
nut pajll hy :\IHl'l.h .!nd. 1:-i()!I.1 Thoroughl) alarmed, the
ettler
ha:-tl'lll'd to take :-:t('p
to protl,(.t their farm:' by making paymcnt of
all elaill1:-: heM h.\ tilt' ('J'own i:lgain:-;t their lcuHl:-:. :)lany IUlll to
mm'tgage their farms to do this. a step which in some cases resulted
in
('ping tlH''lH pa:-:, out of thei l' halH1:...
I any year;;:. passed before
the L'ounty wa:-: n.lie\ l'(l of tlH' II\.l1'lkn of mortgage imlebh.dne:-:s
ëls:,Ull1ed at thi
tim('.
Therp rC'sts one foul hlot on the history of the year 18G8, as far
<\:' Brul:e i,,,; éOUCI'1"llPd. During t]w 'month of Febrmlry a man
named Stephen Xeuhecker. rehuning from :::;eaforth with the pro-
l:l'eds of a 10a(1 of grain he had sold. wa:o assaulted and killed and
hi:-: money tal,en. John Haag wa:;; com.ided of the crìme and hung
un DecC'mher 15th, tIll' onl,\- man who e\er suffered capital punish-
111(>nt in the history of the county.
tAn pxtension of timp for payment of lands purchased from the
('rown had prp\'iously hel'n grante(l, pnssihly in rpsponse to a petition
forwanlcd to 011" (;oVl'rnor-in-('onncil by tll(' rnited ('ounties Council of
Huron and HnlC'l' in lS(j
. asking that 'the time of pa
'mC\nt be extf'nded
for five
'ears. bccause of a partial failllrp of 01(' crops that ypar.
RA]LWAY BY-LAW YOTED rpON
109
Before pas:,ing on to the eH'11 ts of tIlt' ne\.Ì ) ear it might be well
to note that what arc now two of the most flouri::;hing town:, within
the county, Chesley anù "
iartun, ("olJllnenceù to take form ill It)I)ð,
this being the ycar in whieh tlu' fonner wa
:-:\11'\ eyed, 3;:, \\ ell a
the
date of the opening of a pu4 ottic-e at \Via rton. It also wa::; thc .n'ar
when Bruce wa:-: first cOIl1w<"Ìed with the ont:o:icle \\ orh1 by electric
tel<>graph.
Tll(' \ arious propo
ed rail \\ ay
ehelllc:o: tantalizingly brought
befor<> the peoplc of Bruce ùuring a dozen year;:; previou::i were ill
1869 brought to a head, after a numhcr of e
cited mpetings, ably
addreF;;:ed hy good speakprs, had been held in to\\ ns, villages and
district school-hou;;;cs. until cyerybody was well a\\ are of the ad\an-
tages to be gained by thc entrance of the Torontu (narrow gauge)
line or of the Hamilton (wi.de gauge) line. 'rhe County Council,
at a :,pecial ml'etiug h
la i.n
l'ptember, decidl'cl to :::,ubmit a by-Imr
to tll(' riltepa
'er
to aiù tlll' \r cllington. (
rey and lhuée Haih\ a)
by "a free grant or donation of debentures bJ way of a bonus, to
tlw extcnt of $
:)O,UOO:' upon the tcrm
that" thp
aia company do
f.xtend and ('aIT) the line 01 nÜlwn
thruugll the l'I)UIlt.\ of HnH e
from the sonth-ea
t bOllnJary thereof, at or near ClitIurù, to tllL'
waters of Lake IT uron at
outhampton; the ;:aid line to be complete
awl ready for traffic to Southampton within thrce years of the pass-
ing of this hy-Iaw." rr'he ,ole wa::; takf'TI on
oY(,lllber 2nd. 2,!H1
\oted in favor of the' h
'-Iaw awl :!.li
G a,gëlin:o:t it. the by-law being
('arripd hy a majorjt
or :!:O:.').l Kiw.al'llilll' '1'0\\ 11 \\ as chargccl with
':--T\'l'nfE
T
1I()W[X(j rlIE '"OI'F ('.\:0:'1' O
BY-LAW
.I To (;R\XT A Roxrs nt'
$
.III,fIlIl) To TilE '\'
:J.[ [X(;TO
, nRF.\ AXIl Bm'(,E H \II.\\.\ Y.
T.\K
:
,0\ F.\fRER 2xo, I
fi!'.
For .\gainst
By-law. Bv-Iaw.
'l!H . l;
:J'ï3 11
.109 I fJï
I,ll llili
.111 ;Jï
-lH2 :;
W]
;;
too 1 H
1 .1 'in
2íi,I
.) ""
Hili
;{;{
..
)rajol"it
for.
lkl
í2
W2
)f:ljOl"it
against.
.\ rnalll'l alld \ HIl'III:lrle
\ l"r:t n
Brant
Bru('('
CulrnsH
Carril'k
EliJt'rsliC'
Gr('C'no('k
If \I ron .................
hincRnlinC' ViIl:lgC' '.'
Kincardinc Township ...
h.inloss .........
Raug'pcn ....... _ .
Routhampton ..
1;-)
322
434
;
fi,"i
:\81
32
:i7S
2ti:t
-Jli
.:;!,
í
-Ji{
..."
210
....
!} 11
::!li
fì
2li
li
2
fl2
2lOï
11I7
Majority for By-Inw
28:ï
2
:;
110
REGISTRY OFFICE
casting many illegal votes, the feeling there being very strongly in
favor of the "narrow gauge." This charge the reeve had to
acknowledge as true at the next meeting of the County Council. As
soun as the result of the voting was known, a long procusion was
gotten up at 'Valkerton to escort the speakers and auvocates of the
b}-law, present from a distance, on their drive back to Guelpl
, a
photograph of which, taken just before starting, is here given. At
)fihlma} they were halted, to be feasted and congratulated, a pleas-
ing feature again repeated at Harriston. It was lllany a long da}
before the county settled down and forgot the bitter word
spoken,
and all the attendant unpleasantne
:6 of this intcnse contest.
\lthough the by-law carried by a majority of yote::i throughout the
ounty as a whole, the municipalities of Culro:-:s. Kinlo::,s, Huron
and Kincardine Township and YiUage recorded a heasy ,-ote against
it, and in the following year an effort was made by these localities
to get the County Council to memorialize Parliament to pass an Act
exempting the::ie municipalities from being taxed for the Eame, but
were not successful. [n addition to this, some private individuals
went so far as to apply to the courts to quash the by-law, but with
like unsuccess.
The expenditure made by the county in the construction of
p'a,'el roads. bridges and harbors far e-xceeded the original scheme
as voted upon in 1863, consequently it was found necessary to make
a further issue of debentures to pay for the same. Debentures to
the extent of $'20,000 were so issued in 1867; again in 1868 and 1869
debentures for a similar alllount and purpose were sold, bringing
the amount so raised to a total of $280.000 spent within four years
for the purpose of improving the means of communication within
the county, FO that the produce of the fertile fielc1s of Bruce might
reach outside markets more expC'ditiously and cheaply than in the
past.
""hen the county buildings werc fir;;:t occupiPfl the office of the
Registrar of Deeds was within the conrt house. This arrangement
not meeting with the approval of the inspector, in 1869 the separate
building now in use was built. at a cost of $5,3()0, but it was not
until X ovember, 18"'0, that it became occupied, the fittings having
been long delayed.
The cessation of payments hy the gm"ernment on account of the
IÆnd Improvement Fund for fi,'e or six
'ears If'd to an agitation for
the TC!'lllning of such paymentF, to "hich the g'Q\'ernment in 1869
yieldeil FO far as to appoint a committee of the House to report on
.
---
- .
-
.,
'-
I_---r
1-
..
... .-:1
\
.
"'7
- ,
\.
..
\ I I \
'. ,
-1\ ..
.
,. .'-
.w r..:
.
- '\
1,,
",
;....
· .
1
J.,.
I. ......J'
f
" . It
.. '.
'
, .
, ..
=
Ii
f
;..-
-.:
....
::::
t r.
r
!;
:...
:.:
...
j
:.:
:.J
-.
Y:.
-
,r.
=::
B
....
-
,..,
:..
='
f-<
f.
,
..-:
='
-
7.
...
,r.
...
7-
J 'jj
r
..;
-
.
.
..
.
: \,
r .
..
'
"
..,
'-'\
'!.
...
,I
or-ro. .:-
-:.';"
..
"
'}
J
,.
t'
,
.\ -. \
,
\
I
ANOTHER RAILWAY CONTE"T
III
the facts (see Appendix 0).
\. number of prominent men from
Hl'lH"e appeal'{'(l before this cOlllmittee and ga\ e c\ idence, among
whom \\ere Dllnald
inclair, )1.1'.1'., John Gillies, :J1.1'., John
Eekford,
allluel Rowc, Henry Brown, J ame::; Rae, Thomas Adair,
r amc:-:
omel'ville and Alex. )IcS abb, Crown Land::; Agent. The
report of thf' committee showed that the government was \\ rong in
withholding payment, and, yielding to the justice of the claim, com-
llIenced in 1871, and regularly since, to lllake payment on this
aCCoullt. The amount ÏIl\olved was 50 large that to lleglect seeking
to obtain it would have becn gross culpability. How large an
amount 111<1Y hc imagilled from the figures furnished to the author
by the treasurer of Greenock, which show that the aggregate amount
he received to the end of 1
01 was $11,9-:1:7.13. Other townships would
:.:how proportionately large receipts, making a total of something
like $
(lO,OUO. Gp to the end of lS.3U this fund paiù for the col-
onization road \\ ork conducted hy David Gibson, referred to in a
preceùing chapter. The fund collected from January 15t, ISGO, to
Iarch (jth, 18G1 (the date of the order stopping payment), was
made in 1t;G-I:-5 to township treasurers, and so also all pajments
Uladp in and since lSì1.
The townships in the Indian Peninsula had during the" sixties"
heen quietly filling up with settlers. As a rffiult we find, with the
advent of 1t;70, Ea..;tnor becoming one of the municipalities within
the county, being united to Albemarle for municipal purposes. The
union of the latter named to\\ n
hip \\-ith .Amabel had been dissolved
the preceding summer by a by-law of the County Council.
In thc southerly range of townships a scrics of meetings were held
in ISìO in the intercsts of the narrow gauge railway, with the intent
of getting the ratepayer::; to con
cnt to a i'cdional honu..; hcing
granted, to enahle that road to be pushed on to Kincardine from
Tceswater. At the
c meetings the leading men of Kinloss and Luck-
now held out for the road to pas::; through the village of Luch.now.
The railway authorities were just as determined that if the road
were to be constructed it should take the straightest line practicable
from Teeswater to Kincardine. As neither party would change its
views no progress was made, and the railway to this day never got
hC'yonù 'ref'swa tel'.
The Yf'ar 1870 is to he noted as the year when the county was first
invadcd by the potato bug, nnc1 al
o of the first lI';;C of renping
machinp", hy :my of our farnH'rs.
112
CENSUS 1
71
The expenditure of the county being very large anù burdensome
it was felt by many that the expense of maintaining and keeping
in repair the newly-made general roads throughout the county was
one that should be a
sumed by the municipalities in which these
roaus were situateù, the work to be performed ùy statute labor.
Yielding to this sentiment, the County Council in June, 1870, repealed
t.he by-law by which these roads had been 3ßsumed by the county.
As a result of this ad ion, his ùuties being greatly minimized thereby,
the county engineer, 1\11'. Latham B. Hamlin, handed in his resig-
nation. Six months' experience satisfied the County Council that a
mistake had been made, and in January, 1871, the roads were again
assumed by the county, anò Cyrus Carroll \V3ß appointed county
engineer. 1
A census of the Dominion was taken in 1871, which gave the
population of the county of Bruce as 48,575, an increase of 21,016
(equiyalent to 76 per cent.) during the decade that had elapsed
since the previous cemms of 1861. rrhe assessment of the county
during the
allle period had increased from $3,997,187 to $8,398.651,
or something ovcr ] 1U per cent. Both of these classes of figures
give satif'factory evidence of the rapid, and at the same time sub-
stantial, deyelopment of Bruce in that period.
In the spring of 1
:-] a general election for the Provincial House
of
\.
embly was held. In the north riding of Bruce, Donald Sin-
clair wa::; returned hy i.wdamation. I n
outh Bruce the contest was
between 1\Ir. Edward Blake, who had
at for this riding during the
precf'ding term, and Alex.
proa t, the representative of
orth Bruce
in the House of Commons, dual representation at that time being
permitt('(l. rfhe ('l('(.tion W3
carrif'd h
- ,Jr. Rlakp. who lIan a large
majority of votes. In December, 1871, the John Sandfield \Iacdonald
(:on>rmnent wa
dpfeated.
Ir. Blake wa
then call1,,l upon to form
f! ("ahiTwt. Hi
undertaking to (10 ;::;0 onl'f' mor(' brong-llt him before
tlH' ('h
<-tor5 of
onth Brul:e. Wl11'1l h(' \\"a
C'lpctet1 hy acclamation.
,1 anuary 5th, 187'2.
During 1871 till' 'Vellingtol1. Grcy and Bruce l{ailway made rapid
pI'OgTC:':'. but fearing that it C"oulJ not 1)(' l:onstrnctecl to Southamp-
ton ill time to claim the full amount of b()nu
, the -President had a
special meeting of the County Council held, at which he offered, if
ll\Ir. ('arrull rt'tainel1 the ('uunt
. engineership until the end of lR7í.
the year in which the county finally handed over the leading roads to the
municipalities in whir-h the
' wen' lucated.
SOUTHERN EXTENSIOX RAILW A ï
ll
{
the Council would extend the time for twelve months for the COll-
tru(:tion of the la::;t ::;ection of the road, that is, from J:>aisley to
Southampton, the company would hanù over to the county aU the
\'unu:, it might reeeive from the goyernl1lcnt undcr an Act just
passed. The Council held hack and nothing was done. .At the June
H':-:
iI)Jl of Council the railway company withdrew it
offer, an action
that awakened a good deal of ill feeling against it. rrhe company,
11m ing further fm"ors to ask, at length agreed to gin
to the county
one-half of what it might rel'eiye from the goyernment 1 on aecount
of that part of its road lying within the county. There was nothing
said, however, about exterlding the time within which the road" a:-:
to be l'olllpletcd. An _\.ct of Parliamènt 2 pas
ed that year gave the
company permission to construct a branch to Kincardine from some
point on the main line, and al
o
mdioned a sectional levy to pay
for bon using such an c-xtension. The result of this legislation was
another conflict between the broad gauge and the narrow gauge rail-
wa) companies as to which was to :3('l'ure a bonus from the south-
we
tern municipalitit's for extencling tllf'Ü. road to Kincarùine). Ench
eompany thi:5 year pl'l"'5sed on the work of l'on:;truction, the narrow
gauge from the village of Arthur. to \\-hich it had been completed,
while the broad gauge advertized in November for contractors to
tf'nder for the construction of the road from Palllwfston to Luck-
now, following up which, \\ ith the usual cert'llloni
'.s, the first sod.
of the f;outheru E-xtf'n;;;ion TIailwa,\O wa'i tlll'lH't1 at Listowf'l, D(,('f'm-
IJer 1 Mh. J Jl tIll' contf'st for the hnnus, once more the "T. G. and B.
Hailway was successful over its opponent, and we find that when,
in Fehruary, 187?, a by-law waR suhmitterl to the l'atepayprs of the
town:-:hips of Kinlo
.c:.;, Huron and Kincardinp,
rallting
51.000 to
the \V. n. anù B. Hailway 011 condition that the road was cxtended
to the lake at Kincardine, it wac; earried. By the condition
of this
hy-Iaw thCR!' thret> town..;hip:::; were to ,raise such an amount by a :-:e('-
tionfll If'vy annuaHy as was required to pay the debentures and
C'oupons that Wt're i
:::uec1 in the llflme of the county for the $;)1,000
so Lonu
p(l. 'fhC' railwil)' eompan
'. besiù('
this. rpcC'iveò from the
village of Kin('ar(lint
a.n additional honus of
8,OOO amI fl'Om tlw
county $'
o,OOO. This latter a.mount was in reality the surrender
of the share of thf' gOYf'rmnt'nt nonnR which the ('ompallY llad
arranged, as mC'ntioned ahove. to hand on'r to the county.
'$2;
,O()O of C'ancp]]pJ. dphpnturps C'omprist'c'I tht' rpf\ll1d lI1adp
34 YiC'. ('hap
ï.
114
W ALKERTOX BECOMES A TOWN
'York on the main line of the \r. G. and ß. .Hail way was vigor-
ously prosecuted during the season of 1811. As soon a:3
prillg
opened parties of engineers were engaged in laying out the route;
during the summer contractors were at work at several portions of
the road, with the result that on K ovember 30th of that year the first
locomotive steamed into the county town.
The Dominion Government, after much solicitation, decided this
year to make an extensive harbor of refuge at Chantry Island, the
contract for which was secured by )Iessrs. Reed and 'Yalker, of
Kinc
lrdine.
For the first four year:; after Bruce was set apart as a
eparate
(;Olmty the county town existed only as a part of the township of
Brant. 'Yalkerton had not up to this date even sought incorporation
as a village, although it had population sufficient to claim such, but
its ambitious inhabitants desired that it should rank a3 a town from
the first. To accomplish this (the population being only 995) it was
necessary to have an Act of Parliament passed. This was done, and
on February 15th, 1t)71, 'Yalkerton became a municipality, and
without ever having been classed as a village municipality, took rank
as a town.
The summer of 1871 was marked by a heavy frost on the 3uth
June, and also as being a very dry one; in consequence of this there
were large bush fires, accompanied by the burning of many barns
and farm houses in different parts of the county.
The year 1872 witnessed several political elections within the
county. As already mentioned, on January 5th the Hon. Edward
Blake was returned by acclamation for South Bruce on seeking
re-election when he became a Cabinet :Minister. On the passing of
the Act doing away with dual representation he resigned, and in
September R. 1\1. 'Yells and James Brocklebank contested the riding,
the result of the election being the return of J\1r. 'V ells hy a majority
of 146. At the general election for the House of Commons, held in
August. Hon. Edward Blake was returned for South Bruce, his
opponent being J\1r. Francis Hurdon, the late member, who retired
from the contest subsequent to his nomination. In North Bruce,
at the same election, John Gillies defeated the late member, Col. Alex.
Sproat, by a narrow majority of 22.
In other chapters of this history are to be found two events belong-
. ing to 1872, the presenting of a stand of colors to the 32nd Bruce
Battalion of volunteers, and the formation of an increased number
RAILWAY CO
IPLETED TO SOlJTHA)IPTOX
115
of High B(;hool districts. :But the most noted feature of the year
was the completion of the railway to Southampton, the date of which
auspicious eY(
nt was Ðeccmber 7th, being the time agreeu upon
when the bonus was gi\cn. The county at large has benefited and
pro:-:pered greatly through having l'ailway communicatiollil with out-
side markets, far more so than can be calculated, and its inhabitants
can look hack with thankfulne
$ to the enterprise of the people of a
generation ago, who as::,umcd so large a burden of debt for the pur-
po:-:c of bonusing this initial line of railway, which, with others since
<:oll:,tructed, enabled the market.s of the proYince and the world at
large to be reached by onr farmers and manufacturers at all seasons
of the year. The bonuses to the Bouthern Extension Railway having
been granted this year, work was commenced on it at both ends,
..T Ulle 10th being given as the date when the contractors commenced
<1t Kincardine. The northern part of the county could not but cast
Cl}vious eyes on the more favored inhabitants of the county dwelling
south of them in regard to railways, and naturally commenced to
aritate for a lJranch line "hich was to run from Paisley to Colpoy's
Ray, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. Ten years were to pass
before their -desire materialized, and they entered into railway COlU-
JlJUnication with the re:;t of the world.
Settler
had in small numbers prcvious to this entered the two
extreme northerly townships, Lindsay and
t. Edmunds, and this
y{.ar these two tmvnships "ere united for municipal purposes with
Albemarle and Eastnor.
The harvest of 1872 was an e"'{cellent one, a:s is shown by the
Rhipments of wheat made from various points within the county
during the fall of that year and the early part of 1873. The figures
are as follows:
Kin('ar<lin(' .... 223,000 bushels.
Port Elgin ....... 197,000 "
'Yalkprton ........ 193,000 "
Paislt'V ........... 100,000 "
T nvprl;uron ....... 60,000 "
[j}dmav .,.......
Southampton .....
Pinkerton ........
37,000 bushels.
24,000 I I
8,000 ' ,
R46,000 bushels.
The above was calculated to have yielded an average price to the
farmer of $1.15 per bushel, representing $972,900. This large
flmount reef'ivf'd from one description of its crops shows very clearly
how rapidly the county was growing in wealth.
In '[arch, ]873, the Ontario Legislature passed an Act! whereby
J
(j Vi('. ('hap. n.
116
JL'DGE KINGSMILL'S REPORT
a distribution of :mrplus and refund of indebtedne
..; of )Iunicipal
Loan Fund Debt:; was directed and allthori7l'd. .\..t:cording to the'
schedule attacbed to the Act there was to he tlistributed among the
Ioeal municipalities within the county of Bruce $11(),379.40. The
_\..et contained a clause permitting am01mts to be changed if rrrors
or omissions hnll heen founn ill the original calc\llation
, As l'egarl1s
Brut:e, thif: clënl
e mu
t hm-.' been madp u
1' of to a con:::.iderable
Extent, (l
the total payment; mnde to the tOWJll'hips and villages
amounted to $1--1. 2,659.55. 'rhe first pa} ment
were received in 1874
and the :final ones in 1877. 1
For year, there had been more ur le:::
grumhling, in certain
:-=l'dioll:' of thp county, oyer alleged advantages that. other sections
had ohtainrr1 when the schcme of gran>] road:, wa:-i ailopted, and also
from the route taken by the railway; the gravel roads and railway
alike heing wholly or in part constructed by the t:ounty at large. 'fo
l
e what therf' wa
in these murmur
of òiscontcnt, the County Council
at its fir:;;t mepting: in 1873 pas::.eù. a motion a
king .J nòge Kingsmill
to investigate the alleged grievances and report thereon. The report
\\a
mad\' awl pre
('nt('d at tlH' June se
sion and discu
seiL and also
again at the December se
sion, hut resulted in no adion lwing taken;
the expenditure proposed, to construct certain road
.....\) that all
might share alilü', \\"<1.": llIore than the heavily ta-xeù rate}Jayers wouhl
haye stood. so the matter, after much df'hate. was allowed to drop.
'r1w ne('es
ary preliminary steps requirl'<1 for incorporation were
taken in U373 hy the three villages of rort Elgin, rai
ley ana Lu{'k-
110W. In reg-a l'd to the latter village a difficulty arose owing to its
I.,-ing l'artl
- in the county of 1Iuron. h was not until the following
<:::ummer that the part lying in Huron was aDne
eò to Bruce. when
the lattpr county assumed the amount of dcbt apportioned to the
village of Lucknow of the total indebtedne
s of the county of Huron,
tn(' amoHnt heing $1,200.
ITotal refunò.ef) in 1
ï4, $ïl,281.14. Total rt.'Íllnl1ed ill IS;5. $;)2.918.36.
Total refunùed in 1 Fl7l), $13,u29.14. Total refullc1ed in 18ï.. $3,430.91. In all,
$142,639.,')5. distrihut<,d as fol1ows: AILemarle. Eastnor, Lindsay and
t.
Bt1nmnds, $1,
1!)1.f);); _
mabcl, $,:;,238.44; Arran, $10,97;1.79; Brant, $H,ß42.!52;
BruC'e, $10,4ß4.44; ('arrick, *13,122.29; Cu]ross, $11.186.76; Elderslie,
$8,330.40; Gr<,cnoC' k, $8,788.11 ; Huron, $11,970.47; KinC'ardine Township.
$12,194.83; KinloHs, $9,] 08.38; Haugecn, $5,246.81; KinC'ardine Village,
$5,567.02: Lucknow, $1,128.93; Paisley, $2,844.62; Port FJgin, $2,195.20;
Southampton, $2,463.54; 'Valkerton, $3,239.3':>. The division was on th<,
basis of population as shown by the censns of lS71. The amount allocated
to Bruce was about $2.93 per henò.
. RAILWAY CO}[PLETED TO KINCARDINE
117
_\le
. ::'proat, \\ ho had lillea thc otlice of t:Ollllt) treasurer :;Ïnce
'jay lUth, 18G-!, hanJeLl in his resignation at the December
e
sion
of the County Coun<.:il, which was acccpted, to take effect at the end
of' the ,year. llis suece::.::;or. ,James G. Cooper, \Va:-; at the ::;ame time
<'l'poillted. hi=- dutie
to cOlUmence January ht, 1;'" 4' L )lr. Cooper
had \\ orked 1l
a=-:-:i=-t.lllt to )1 r. ;:;proat for a ll\llllber of year::;, and
\\:1:; full,\ com er"':1l11t \\ ith the ollice and it::; dutic
.
The inhabitants of the Indian Peninsula, who in 1872 had been
:-dll'lIling" to g-et a hnlllt:h linc of railway from Pai:;ley, in 1:::\73 first
learnt of the proposition of the Lake Erie and Stratford Railnay to
push its line throu
h tc Colp\lY'
Bay. the t
rallJ Trunk ltailway
being at the back of the project.
The railway to Kincardine was completed ill the fall of 1:::\73,
Lut owing to the". G. and E. ßailway Company being financially
straitened, owing tl) the gO\ ernm('nt not paying the promi::;cd bonus,
it \\as not hanùca oycr iJy the contractor::;, but wa::; run by them for
:1 year.
[n the mini::;tr
' formed by HOll. Alex. :Mackenzie in November,
]K-;-:L tlw HOll. Edwar(l Blake took oUice, ana on(',' morè he had to
apl'('ar before the electors of South Bruce seekiu
their ,::,uflrages.
He \\-as returned ulloppo:::e(l Decemher 4th. :Mr. l\Iackenzie not feel-
ing t:onndellt of his majority in the House, Parliallll'llt was dis:,olved
,f<1n1l<ll'Y ;!nll. 18';'4, a
.ellernl election bein
held that month. Un
tim, Ol"',h.;Ïon lJoll. )Ir. Rlnkl' \\a:, oppo
ed h.\ )[1'. Houert Baird. ùf
to\. ilWal'ùinp. TIll' COnll'
t wa
a 1\.\'(,11 01lC', ill which )[1'. Blake wa::;
\'('tnnwd II
a 1H.ljority of :
.?t. In '\urth Bnu:\; .John (
illies W(l;:,
n'turned by acclamation.
Tlw l>cat:f'ful. la\\"-ahiding" inhahitant:-: of the- county \\ ere
ur-
I'ri
,'d and :-:]l/H'!\.\,d ill the ....pring of the year when they ll'arul'd that.
it
horder
had ontl' 1II0re been
taill\'d II) the t:rime of 1llufller, wlúch
th'l'lorahle ('\('ut ()('('UlTl'l! )1<11'1'h I ';'th. l
j;L in tlll' ,icillity of Raic
tin Dore. One Ueorge Pl'i,,(' wa:-: the Yletim. .\ tri\"ial matter orig-
iuat".lll di:'plltc h('hH'('ll two familil':-: that ll'll to hlo\\:" \\hieh, later
ou. wIlt'n \\ hi:-:kl'Y had he,'n fl'l'l'l.\' partakl'l\ of. n'..;ultl'tl in all a:-:sault
being maùe in which Priee was kill,',l. .r amC's .f ohll
ton was COI1-
,ictl'd of tlH' crime and r(,(,l'ivcd a dl'ath
1":lltenl:e, "hi('h \\ a
l'ommuÍl'.l
to life imprisonment. }"our other
implicateù in the l'a";l' rC('l'iY('ll
sentences varying- from c:ix month
to three years' impri
OllllH:'nt.
That tlll' rl'ad('r ma.' bl' f'uahh'd to }Hl\1' :,OIn,' i,l('il of what \\l'l"e
tll\' pro,lud..; of tlH' ,'ount.y in Hit. pal'l.'" .. :-("l'llti('
." anc1llw proportion
ll
RAILWAY COMPLETED TO TEESWATER
or each, there is here gi\en a statement of shipments from \Valkerton
station from 1st September, 1873, to 20th .Tuly, 1874:
""heat, 160,000 IJl1:3h<.>l
. Uat
, (),500 bushels. Barley, 2-:1,500
bushels. Pea::;, 5,200 bushel
. Flour, 5,300 barrels. Oatmeal, 50J
barrels. Eggs, 2,100 barrels. Dre
sed hogs, 25 cars. Lumber, 202
cars. Lath, 6 cars. Bark, 4 cars. Potatoes, 20 cars. Butter, 6 cars.
The above, no doubt, fairly shows what Bruce at that time pro-
duced fur eÀport. Compared with to-Jay, when stock, dairy pro-
JUCLS and manufactures generally forlll a large percentage of export
,
the change is very marked.
Two years after the advcnt of the \Y cllington, Grey and Bruce
Hailway into the county the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway
reached Teeswater, it being opened to that point on the 16th
oyeru-
ber, 187-:1. It was hoped that the road would be extended to the lake
shortly afterward, but these hopes ha"e not been realized. In the
period when operated by the parent eompany such an eAtension could
not be made on :financial grounds; since it passed into the hands of
the Canarlian Pacific Hailway, the reason for not pnshing on to a
lake port is said to be an understanding that existed between the two
great railway companies not to encroach upon the tl'rritory of the
other; this understanding has lapsed, and hopes are hright for a
further extension of this railway within the county. The Southern
Extension Hail way was after long delay taken oyer by the 'V. G. and
B. Railwa
". and from 17th December, 1874, it has been operated by
that company or its snccessor, the Grand Trunk Railway.
The preliminary steps towards erecting the yillagc of Teeswater
into a separate municipality having been taken, the County Council
in June, 1874, passed the necessary by-law whereby Teeswater became
an incorporatpll yillage on the 1st January following.
The time was certain to come when Bruce would cease to be
looked upon as a locality to which settlers might go in search of a
home, and change to one from which emigration to new settlements
might be expecterl The latter period was certainly reached when
a meeting- was held at Southampton April IGth, ]8ì5, the object
of which was set forth in the following motion, which was duly car-
ried therpat: "That from the experience we have had as settlers in
the county of Bruce, we believe the system of settling by the forma-
tion of a colony is attended by less hardshipR and privations than
many of us endured in the early settlement of this county; that being
anxious to plant a colony in thp province of )Ianitoba from the
E
nGRATION CO)IMENCES
119
county of BruC'e, immediate step
be taken to further thi8 project,
and that a suitable location be made as speedily as possible." At
this meeting" The Bruce )Iutual Colonization Company was organ-
ized, and James :Stirton was appointed to select a proper location in
Manitoba. The mo\ement so started proved to be the prelude to a
large emigration, whidl has not cea
ed, of the mU:5t energetic and
enterprising of each generation, as it appeared, until the western
prairie land seem8 to teem with those who are proud to say that they
come from the county of Bruce.
A general electioll for the House of Assembly was held J <lllUary,
1875. R.
I. \Vells, the member for bouth Bruce in tlw previous
House, ran again anrl was elected. He wa.; opposed by D. \r. Ross,
who resigned his office as Clerk of the Peace so that he could qualify
for nomination. It '" as an unfortunate moyc for him, as he lost
hoth the election and his office. )fr. Thomas Vi \:011 rccei \'eù the
appointment! to the vacant office and has held it since. In North
Bruce at this election Donald Sinclair was opposed by a namesake,
Dr. A. C. Sinclair. The conte:-:t resulted in favor of the former.
Hon. Edward Blake, who had aCl:epted a seat without a portfolio
in the :Mackenzie :Ministry on its formation, shortly afterward with-
drew therefrom, but was again persuaded to accept office, and on )Iay
19th, ]87;), was made :JIinister of Justice, and so again had to appear
before the electors of South Bruce. The nomination wa:'. held on
June 2nd, when he was returned by acclamation. This was the sixth
occa
ion that '[1'. Blake was rC'tul'ned hy
outh Brnce within five
years, either to the House of Commons or to the House of _\......clllbly.
From the time the gaol was huilt. the county held that the go\'-
f'rnuwnt :;;hould refund the cost of alterations made in the COll:'.truc-
tion of the huilding insisted on by the Inspector of Prisons after the
original plan::, had been passed by him. and for the carrying out of
whiC'h contracts were IC't. Other countieg beside:, Bruce were press-
ing similar claim
, with the result that the Lcgislature pa
5eù an
Act 2 authorizing a rpfund of $6,000, which was the amount of the
county's claim. Some discussion aro:'.(' as to what would 1)p a proper
mode to dispo::e of this sum. On fir!':t learning of tlI<' passing of the
Act the County Council resolved to distribute the amount among the
various local municipalities of the county according to assessment,
hut in the intenal which elapsed before tlH' lllOIlCY wa
paid oyer
ll\Iar('h, 187;).
2
7 Vi<,. ('hap.
1. Pas
H'd Mar('h
.tth, 18í4.
120
.. DUSKIN" ACT
it was made aplmrent that incrca
ed accommodation was required
for county offices, so ill .hUll13ry, 1b'H), a committee \vèl;,; apl'ointed
tu s
e to the erection of a new building, which was to he paid for
out of the refund.! Thi:-; Illlil(ling. that in ,d1idl tlll' ('ount)" Council
now meets, \\"<1;; ereded that year, anti Wà:-; .tirbt OLcupied è:lwi used.
as a place of meeting by the County Council at the following Decem-
her ::'c:,;:;Íon. The dwelling of the caretaker of th
("(}unty huildinga
was ereded thc
ame year. This builòing was built by \\'111. Richard-
(;n, caretaker, 011 the county grounò::; at \ralkertllli at an outlay of
!f 1,
WO. In 1bti-! an agree1ll
nt was maù
\\ ith him by whidl he was
to occupy the house as long as he held the oce offife of caretaker, when
it was to reyel't to the cuunty, he to receive in full consideration the
lllll of $l,UOO. This reversion took p1a('(' on :Jlr. Hichard
on'8 death
in
rè:lY, 1888.
In January, 18. Ö, the :,outhem part of the ("()unty had another
railway route opened to its borders, namely, the Lonùon, lluron and
BruLe Hailway. whidl connectell with the
outhern EÜcnsiou Uail-
way at \rin
ham. This line has prO' cd of great achantage to those
\\-ithin the ("ounty who are doing hm:iue
:-; in thc
outh-w
:;:tern part
of the prO\ iuce or iu the western :::.tatl''';. The town or Kiu("iuJine
gave a bonus of
;1.UU() te thi
raihmy, althuugh it did not t1irectly
enter the to" 11 or Lume within BlallY milc6 of doing
u.
The County Council of 1876 vacillated about the county reLain-
ing control of the gravel roads. 'The
J anuary srs::iion repea 1r.l the
by-law by whieh they were af'SUIlll'Ù, hut at thc .T l1lH' :'l',.;:-,ion
re-assumed them. However, in 1877 the Council :finally halHled them
G,er to the local municipalitit>s in \\ hich they were situated.
A petition bearing over two thousand signatures \Va:; pn\sellted
to the County Council at the December session of 1876, asking that
body to appoint a day on which a yote i'houlc1 be takpn whether there
should he pnfor('pd the proyisiollS of the ., Temperance Act of 186-1,"
eommonl
' known à,.; the .. Dunkin Act." The Council, at the session
held in .Tune fonowin
. :fix('d
eph'lllbel' l
th. 1877, as thp requireå
datp. Thl' vot(' then givcn shO\H.tl a majority of l.U
. of a total
yotp of h.352. in favor of the
\ct coming into force ill the county.
which it did 1Iay ht. 1R78. In Rruce tIt(' Act had but a short life,
it heing found to have inherent defects that made it unworkable, and
1Thf' rf'fllJl(1 paid for thi.s hni1di.ng. whieh f"ost approximately $-J..Iì(lO.
and also for an f'xh'nsion to tIll' gaolf'l".s l"esidf'ul'f', built that year, ('osti.rg
about $1.400.
,
ALE"-. SUA\\, K.C.
p.123
--./
,1. .J. KI:\I;SmLl.
I' ; ..-.
1.
".n.Llnf (;('XX
p.105
IIE:\I:\ ('n:t;II.I.
p. 1 :!ö
BL"SI XE
DEPRESSION
121
consequently failed l in the enù sought, and was therefore repealed
a
far a
this county was concerned. The ratepayers voteù, by a
majority of 1,347, to that effect when the question was again sub-
mitted to them January
bt, 18'19. The ...\.ct cea::::cd to be ill force
ill Bruce from 1st
Ia)" following.
\t the opening of the \ ortlwl"l1 E\.hibitioll, helù Uctober, 1
.1,
the ("t)unt) town wa
honored by a \'isit from Lieut.-Go\el'lwr V. .d..
.\[acdonalù, who hall (.ollscntt>ù to ('ome and open the E"\.hihitioll. He
was greeted by a large concourse, despite most unfavorable weather.
\.gitation for llIon' railways \Va,-; in till' air during 1:::;;
. \\ïarton
til1 hoping to ohtain a litH' from
tl'at[orù. ilwl \r,ll1...l'rtOll to get
a linc from )IOUllt Fore
t, to l:onned \\, ith the T. (L ..lUd B. Hailway.
Owing to financial inabilIty this railway company could promise
nothing towards the con
truction of the prop05ed l'Àten:Úon, but
úffered to run and keep in repair the line if lJUilt. rrhc )"mr ended
",ith tù.e qucstion still untIl'r discussion \, hcther or no the munici-
palitie:-; to be henefih'd would achance the needed amount, some
$:250,OUO.
The harvest of 1876 was a poor om'.::::o much
o that many
farll\('r
did not find thpir el"O}' of wlwat
utti.eient to supply the
nepcl:- of their falllilie
. .\5 a natural consPl}uenc.t'. th(' following
Yf><1r wa
011(' of marI...efl husineæ dcprc-:;;sioll. Bruce wa, not a lone
in thi:-; e\. perience, a
we find, arising from variou
other tallSl'
. such
was all1lo
t world-wide in extent. Although th" hanc
t of 18'17
prowfl to be an excellent onc in Erucf', it ('ouM not remove the com-
lIlercial depression that wa,
o far rcaching.
About 1877, or a year or two ('artier, the author has not been
ITIH' following extrad, from tll(' Hrll(,( J/ lTald, of ,rune ith. 1 Sil.;. rt'tie<'Ìs
the coudition of affairs pn.tt.v gl'nNally throughout the I'ounh l"t'garding
t}l(' enfor(,l'IIIl'nt of the Duukin Ad :
" TIIPrp Iws, so far :is WI' han' hl't'n a]'ll' to It':uu, hl'pn nothing ùonl'
in this fwdion of thl' l'ount.v to enfor('{' till' Dunkin .\d. If the prl'sl'nt
state of afrairs is allowl'd to contilllil', WI' !'hould
a." that the passage
of that .\f't has he('n a positive injury to tit(' ('011I11I 1m i t.". Thl'rl' is uow
no liquor law in for<,e in the <'Ollllty :1Il.1 tlIP lil/uor cl('al('rs havt' every-
thing their own way. 1'his is a serious t,,'il, :ind the telllpl'ranf'l' organi7a-
Hons are nlainly responsible for it. Had it for a JIlOUII'nt hl'l'n supposed
that the." were not preparell to han' tlH' ,\d put in for('t' tl\('re would
have Il1'en fl'wl'r votl'S ('ast for it than tlH'rl' ",as. The tl'IIlIWraIW(' organi7a-
tions, in agitating for thl' passagl' of tht> .\d, haY!' assullll't/ a Tt'spon8ihilit.'
whiC'h thl'Y (.annot gd rid of. It was not to produc(> a '" Or8l' state of
things that outside support was giV('11 tht'lI1, aud if thl'.' '" ere not prepared
to carry thl' A<'t into ('{fed. it would han' hl'en far h(,ttl'r to hav(' 8]]0\\I"'(]
matters to rl'lI1ain as they \\"I'rl'. The Duukin .\(.t has 11I'l'n produdive of
nothing but evi] so f:u."
122
THE GRANGE
able to obtain the exact date, the organization or order known as
"The Grange" was introduced into the county of Bruce, which was
some two or three years after the Dominion Grange was formed.
Its membership was confined to those engaged in agriculture. }Iany
lodges were ol'clled within the county, the total of which must have
numbered nearly one hundred, judging from the only data the author
has been able to obtain, which gave twenty-two subordi
ate lodges
in what was known as the Lucknow Division. The aim of thc Grange
was to advance the interest of the farmer. One of the means of
doing so was by an effort to bring its members, the farmers and the
manufacturer, into doser relations, and to do away with all middle-
men as far as possible. Another aim was to draw the farmer out
of his isolation, so that by an interchange of ideas and by united
ction to strive to promote common interests. In carrying out these
oùjects thc Dominion Grange purchased and conducted "The
People's Salt Co." at Kincardine. There was also established a
o-called wholesale warehouse at Toronto which filled orders for
goods as sent in by the various lodges on the requisition of its vari-
ous members. rrhi::; practice of sending away for artieles of common
home consumption, to the loss of the local storekeeper and mechanic,
fToduced strongly antagonistic feelings against the Grange by those
who ::iutfered a loss of business as a result of the above-mentioned
practice. The Grange reached its fullest measure of activity in
Bruce during the early" eighties," hut it fell off rapidly, and it is
doubtful if there arf' more than three or four active lodges in the
county in 1905. The reader must bear in mind that.. The Grange"
was not in any sense a political movement; it differed in this par-
ticular from the later movement, in the" nineties," known as that of
.. The Patrons of Industry," referred to Ül the succeeding chapter.
It is not the object -of this history to refer to events outside of the
county except as they may have affected it. The political campaign
of 1878 was ::iuch an event. It wa
, from a Dominion standpoint,
ph-otal in character, for in that year the election contest was oyer
the "
ational Policy" question as laid down by the leader of the
Conservative party, Sir John
\.. :Macdonald, and which WfI'< enthusi-
H
tically sustained by the country at the polls. There is no doubt
that the fall of the Liberal government arose from its unwillingness
tf) take any action having in view the amelioration of the commercial
depression referred to in the preceding paragraph, holding fixedly
to the theory that anything the government might attempt in that
DEFEAT OF EDWARD BL\h.E
123
line would eÀert (1.., much inft uence a;:, "a fly on a wheel;" as the
Finance
Iinister eÀ'pre
sed it, a phrase remembered for many a
year. The election wa" fiercely cOlltc:.;ted in hoth ri,ling:; of Bruce.
Hon. Edward BlaI\.1' at first declined to accept the nomination, but
()D pressure being brought t() hpar, and the party leaders in the riding
guaranteeing his electil)ll without a personal ('an,a:,
on hi::; }Jart, hl'
con:-;cnted to run. The Con
l'rvati\e <:alldidate wa::; Alp,anùcl'
ha'\.
I<ounty sol icitor. 1 Both sid(>:- \\ ()rkell \\ ith a dPÍI'rlll inatioll to win.
When the votes were counted Mr. Blake, so often the choice of South
Bruce, was found to be in a minority of 75. In X orth Bruce the
suffrages of the electors ''':'I'e sought hy John GillieF- and Col. d.
Sproat, who again, and for the last time, contested this riding, which
resulted in
Ir. Gillies being returned by a majority of 156.
For a nmnht'l" of
-ears thf're had heen constant l'olllplaint. at the
time the County Council struck the annual levy, regarding unequal
as...t's...ment amung tIll> ,ariotl:- Illunicipalitie:.;. Tu enablt' justi('('
being done to all, the County Council in July, 181b, appointed James
Rowand, of
aug(,pn. and 11. L. )rcKinnon, of TiYel'ton. t() make a
valuation of the a:-
":-:
ahk real pruperty in the emmty. Tlip.\ com-
lHf'Ill"CÙ their dmit,:- :-hortl
- afh'r tIll' (1.1tl' ()f t1wiJ' al'pllintlllt'llt. but
\\ere unahle tu <:OIl1plptp their rt'port so that it might he llSl'd as a
lm,.is for pC]ualizing tIlt> a:-::-e:-
ment of lR'ì
, hut that of 1
1I antl the
nine following year:' \\a.... :-:0 ba:-:('Il. Tlwir work \\:1... ...ati:,factory to
the County Council, and it seem
to have been the m('an
of settling
a long-:,taniling grie\ anre. Thp total a
::;essmpnt of tllt' l'O\mt
was
li.i
f'rl *
I'!'2.!)()fi hy the rPl'ort.
In response to a petition of the County Council the House of
,\
'eJl\hly pa:-::-:('d an Art 2 to ('nalll(' the e()unt
. ()f Hrnet' to êl&;:ounl('
rhr' railway dpht of the municiralitie
that had honu...p.] till'
outhern
E\tpll
ion and T. n. G. nn0 H. H:1ih\ay
. Thl' lW,t :-:It'l' ...hould ha\e
1.\lexandf'r Shaw, K.C., was born in the township of Ramsay, Janu:u
nth, 1
3, amI T('ceiv('d his ('ducation in the town of PC'rth Whf'Te he also
stl1òied law. He cam(' to Brl1l'f' in ]
.)s. ana Sf'tt1C'ù at Kin.'ardin(', whl'rf'
he marriC'ù Anna. aal1
ht('r of Petf'T Rollt'rtson. nwrl'hant. and has had a
family of fivf' flnns and two dal1ghtf'rs. Whf'n Walkerton bl'l'ame tJlf'
('ounty town hI' IIIOVl'd thC'r., and was appointl'd count
solicitor in I81.i,.
which Oml'f' hf' has retainf'd since. At the general f'lection in IS78 he
ùf'ff'atC'c] the Hon. Ethvard Blal;;:f' in the rontf'st in Routh Hrurf', but in
lSS2 fnÎ]f'd to hC' r(,-f')f'l'tf'fl. Tn h!1f1 he ran as an Tnllf'pf'naC'nt for ('('ntrt'
Rru('f', lwÎng opposC'd h
' \\'. ðL Dark, who carri('(l this dl'l'tion. Mr. 811a\\
stands at the head of th(' Rur in Bruce, anù 1)\' lIIan'- ,pars is thf' old.'st
pral'tising law."f'r in tllf' county. .. .
z..Jl Yil'. ('hap.
1.
124
AUGEEN VALLEY RAILWAY
l\l'en the submitting to the ratepayer::; of a by-law for their consent
to the ('ounty a::;
ullling this indebtcdne
:::;, but on seconcl thoughts
the County Council decided to take no further action, consequently
the Act bccame inoperative and the local lllunieipalities obt<Üned no
relief.
rrhe eastern part of the county had the subject of railways
brought before it continuously throughout 1
'
. \r alkerton was
anxious to obtain a competing line of road, and succeedeù in haying
the t'iaugeen Valley Railway scheme launched, the company being
incorporated in 1878 by Act of Parliament,! .Tohn :McLay, Registrar,
nd Dr. A. Eby, Editor of the Telescope, both of Walkertun, were
appointed prl."sident and secretary when the company was organized. 2
Stock-hooks were opened and a fair amount of stock :iuh;;;cribed.
lUVt'YS were also llladc to show that the route proposed pre::;puted
no
pe("ial engineering difficulties. Public dinners and speeches, hav-
ing ill yiew the e-xciting of puhlic interest, were giyen and seemed to
attain their object, but through some mismanagement the scheme,
after being before the public for a number of years, ceased at last
eH'n to he spokl."n of. The other railway s
hellle was that of the
tratford and Lake Huron Haihyay, from Listowel to \Yial'ton.
Bonu
by-laws were submitted to the ratepayers of Brant, Elderslie,
\.rran,
\lbcmarle and
\.mabel in the fall of Ib7
awl carried. In
CarriC'k and Eastnor similar hy-Iaws were dl.feated. The honu:::es
granted by Bruce municipalities to this railway are gi, en in a foot-
note. 3
nccemher, 187
, is the date when Tiyerton, the 8mallest of the
,-illage mnnicipalitil'
within the county was ineorporatef1. rrhe next
yjllage to seek incorporation wa-::; Chesley, which in this respect was
just a year behind Tiverton, but nevertheless has forged ahead of
it and ew'ry otJlf'r of the newPr yillages in the connty, \riarton alone
e)..('eptf>d.
The year 1879 was rather uneventful as far as the county :is a
whole was concerned. 1'he harycst was an e-xeellent one. rro aid in
Eceuring it
f>1f-hindinp" rcapcrï:: wpre u
ed for tl1f> fir
t time. Duncan
In Vie. ('hap. 52.
2The fir!'t soa for the proposed road ,vas turnea at \Yalkerton. )[arch
1st, 1880, by the President :mil l\Ir. .T. P. .Johnston.
3ThI' fol1owing ar(' the honuses grantEd to the :-;tratforll a III I Lake
Huron Railway by the several municipalities named: Brant, $20,000;
Elrlerslie, $3,'),000; (,hesley, $10,000; Arran and Tara, $45.000; Amabel anù
Wiarton, $45,000; Albemarle. $10,000; Total, $16;;.000.
DIS
IISS.\L OF THE HEGISTRAH
125
and _\rchibald Ki})pen, of Bruce, and C. Thedc, of :::)augeen, being
tredited a::, heing the introducer::; of these lllad1Ïne
into the county.
\ general electiun for the Hou::;e of _h
elllbl.r tallle off June 5th,
]t\,!), in whidl ll.
L \\Tell::: secured a majority over Hobert Baird in
the south riding. while in the nurth rilling, Donald Silldair was
again returned, hi:, opponent on thi::: oCta
ion being .J. \Y. S. Biggaro
Tara, the younge
t of thL' village lllunicipalities in Bruce, became
in<:o1'l'orated by by-Ia\\ ill .J une, lSSII. Wiarton pretedeù Tara by a
few months, ::.ecuring incorporatioll hy a ::-:pecial Act uf Parliament.!
The town plot being partly in the eOllnty of Grpy and partly in Bruce,
thi
:-:peeial
\.ct was a:::;ked for .'Ü a:::; to pf(>\ ent auy ùifficulty such as
Lucknow, similarly situated, had experienced. On becuming anneÀcd
to Bruce ('Ollllty it i.l:.:::;umed the amount of ùebt appurtioned tú the
rjllage of \\ïarton of the ill<ld)t('(hH's, uf the tUlluty of Urey, the
amount being $--1UI), w1l1("h "3:' pèlÍd in Olle iu:-,talment. 2
For a length of time re})urts had !lel'u cirtuhlÌ('(1 that the county
\\ a:-; not receiving from the ]h'gi::,trar of Deed:, th(. <:ol'1'e<:t refund
of f('(.:.: payahlc to it. rrged on by f:Ollle indi\'i<1ual
who entertaincd
most bitter feelings toward :Mr. l\lcLay, the County Couneil at length,
ill Dec('ml)('r, 18,
), took adioll. The matter came hefore the courts,
an(l as a rl':,u1t of a suit the county, in ] tiSII, recoH'rcd
'?..!96.16.
The County'Council in December of that) ear followed this up by for-
warding a petition to the Lieutcnant-Go\ ernor, a
king for the
rellloyal from office of )lr. )[eLay. K 0 re
pOllSl} was made to this
until Beptember, 1881, when A. E. In ing. t
.< '., \\"a
commi
:;;iolled
to report upon the complaints mad(' against the Hegistrar. The
eOllllllis:Úon :':<1t ill thf' following .K O\'ember and took a large amount
of evidencf'. The result of the inye:;tigation \\"<.18 that on Del:eIllÙl'r
1 !)th. lS
'2. the gmernnll'nt dismissed ),11'.
1cLaJ. :Fur fo\ome time
the office was in eharge of the Deputy-Rcgi::;trar, Char1e:, .btlcy. On
'f arch ] !th. 1883. Donald Sinclair,3 late llwmùer for North Bruce,
J'I'('('i\"l>d thl> appointment. and held the office till his d(,'lth in 1900.
'-t:J \ïco ('hap. .Hi.
C'e roullt
r of Bru(oC' B
'-Jaw No. 173.
3Donal.] SiIII'Jair was horn in thC' IsJallll of IsJa\', :O;cotlan.l, in .Tuh',
lS
9. Hp immigratC'd to <':ma<1a with his parents in is:)], who sl'tt)C'd tile
foJIowing year in \rran.
fr. Sinclair loame to Brul'I' in IS,-;3 and followl'd
thl' profC'ssion of a f!C'hoo]tC':lt'hC'r )lI'rC', and also J3tl'r in tht' vi('inity of
Toronto. Prum 1H:ïH 11C' w:tS I'I'rmallt'ntJy a rt'!'idl'nt of RruC'C'. Tn I '\G;I hC'
was C'le('tf'd tll'l'uty rC'l'vl' of .\rran. Tn IS()!"I
rr. SilH'lair mon,a to
l'aislC'y alld l'urri('(l on a g('llI'raJ store. In the gC'neral {'Iection of 1
ti7
he was C'lected as llIl"mbpr IIf t Ill" House of .\ !'ISf'm hl.v, h
' a('(' 1.1111,1 t ion. for
126
CENStJS RESULTB
The census of the Dominion taken in 1881 showed the population
of the county of Bruce (see Appendix L) at the highest recordcd
point, the number being 65,218, certainly a wonderful development
in population during the thirty-three years which had elapsed since
the first settler entered the count). To enahle the reailer to forIll an
idea of the material wealth of the county of Bruce at this time, there
is given in a footnote! the equalized assessment of the several local
municipalities for the year 1881; these figures have changed but
little since then, except in the case of some of the towns.
Early in December, 1881, the contractors had the rails of the
Stratford and Lake Huron Railway laid to V{iarton, but traffic to
the riding of North Bruce. This seat he held until 1883, when he was
appointed Registrar of Deeds for the county of Bruce. In April, 1871, he
married Isabella, daughter of Thomas Adair, and had a family of two
sons and three daughters. In politics he was a LiberaL In religious
belief he was a Baptist. Mr. Sinclair possessed a character for upright-
ness and integrity, ever having the courage to uphold his convictions.
His death occurred November 19th, 1900, at Toronto, wh('re he had gone
to obtain medical advice. He was buried at Southampton.
lEQUALIZED ASSESS1\IEXT SCHEDULE FOR 1881, AS PASSED BY COCNTY Cor
(,IL
OF BRUCE.
Albemarle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
_-\.mabel ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Arran ... . . . . . . . . . . . - .
Bran t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bruce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carrick .. . . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Culross ......................, - .
Eastnor. L. .\:
t. Eù. .....:.
EldersIie .. . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Greenock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
IIuron .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
KineardilH' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kinloss. . . . . . . . . , . . . . - - . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saugeen ......,........ - . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total of Townships .........,...
Chesley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lucknow ................ . . . . . . . .
Paisley ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Port Elgin ...........................
Southampton . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . .
Tara ............................'..-
Teeswater ............. .............
Tiverton ............................
Kincardine Town ....................
Walkerton . .,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"\Viarton ......................
Total of Towns and Villages.....
Total Assessment of the County of Bruce
$156,23b
726,858
1,843,490
2,618,302
2,13ï ,520
2,31b,270
1,765,720
181,047
1,755,765
1,582,680
2,145,990
2,213,640
1,380,170
1,169,465
$21,993,155
$176,440
299,750
310,530
422,097
159,225
105,820
210,100
117,480
851,620
722,205
70,481
3,445,748
$25,438,903
1881
127
t.hat point wa:, not IJpened oJ1il.iall.,' until 1st .\ugu;:;t of the follow-
ing )ear. This line of railway ha
been one of the mo;:;t profitable
in the county, 3;:; oyer it is cêl1'l'ied a large part of the commerce of
the peninsula.
I Jl r
cordillg the completion of the above-mentioned railway, tl}P
adhor brings this chapter to a do:::e. a
the title of it, " Full Develop-
llIl'nt .\ttaine(l," at last had bpcome an accomplished fact This
!'tatement might be qualified hy
a}ing thi.1Ì what further development
has takl'n place !'ince has beC'u along line...; whieh were then in exii'lt.
('nee.
CHAPT Ell VIII.
TIIRIVIXG AXD PROGRESSING.
1882-1906.
rrUE title given to thi8 chapter is one by which the author would
<lesire to indicate that the period of rapid, lusty development within
the county of Bruce, which had b
en one of its marked character-
i
tics, closed with the final years referred to in the previous chapter.
The era when the incr
ase of the county's wealth and population and
of the development of its resources took place by leaps and bounds,
(,f\uld not be enduring and continuous; the change to a less rapid
advancement must come, anù the author would place the date thereof,
approximately, at the clooc of the third decade of the county's his-
trry. High water mark for a long time to come, as regards popula-
tion, is to be found in the census of 1
1.
The Redistribution Act passed in 1882 by the Dominion Par-
liament gave Bruce three members in the House of Commons. In
the plection which followed the passing of this Act, North Bruce
returned
\1ex. :Mc
eill, his opponent being John Gillies, the late
llìember. In East Bruce the late member also failed irì being
re-elected, R. M. Wells being successful in this contest against Alex.
haw. The riding of 'Vest Bruce was contested by James Somer-
vj1le and J. H. Scott, in which contest the former \Va:;, returned.
R. )1. Wells had to resign his seat in the Ontario House of _\.ssembly
to qualify for nomination in the above election. This necessitated
a by-election in South Bruce. The Liberals nominated H. P.
O'Connor, a lawyer of \Valkerton, and the Conservatives, J. C.
Eckford, a leading farmer of Brant. This election resulted in :Mr.
O'Connor's favor.
The last change in the number of minor municipalities within
the county which occurred for the next twenty years took place in
.Tune, 1882. when the united townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds
were separated from Eastnor and e!'tablished as a separate corpora-
tion on and from January 1st, 1883.
In 1883 a change took place in regard to the wardenship. During
the twenty-six previous years this honorable position was frequently
128
THE "SCUTT ACT"
It9
conferred year after year upon the same per;:,on, ;:,ü that only nine
names occur during that period among the list of wardens. Com-
mencing with 1883, the honor and the duties of the office have been
passed around, and no one since then has held the office for more
than a single year, as will be seen by consulting Appendix Q, which
shows that altogether thirty-two individuals have attained to the
wardenship, commencing with the first County Council, that of 1857.
Of these, it is interesting to note, about one-third, having plumed
their wings in the County Council, have sought a loftier flight, and
have stood for parliamentary honor::;.
A general election for the Ontario House of As;:;embly took place
February 27th, 1883. In
outh Bruce H. P. O'Connor was returned
by acclamation. The contest ill North Bruce was between John
Uillies and James Rowand. The former was elected by a majority
of 120 votes.
The burning question before the people of Bruce for the greater
raft of 18H-! was the "Scott Act," the name hy which the Canada
Temperance Act of 1878 was commonly known. The campaign com-
menced early in the year \\ ith the ohtaining of the signatures of
3,190 ratepayers to a requisition praying that the Act be submitted
t /) the electors to be voted upon. During the summer public meet-
i1!gs were held in maný localities to discuss the features of the Act.
Speakers from outside plare
were obtained by both partie::; to stump
the country and present their yiew
eithpf for or again:-:t the tem-
perance quc;:;tion in gelH'ral and the Act in particular. Literature
was frcely circulated, anù c\ ery meau::; u::;cù to cnlighten the electors
upon the question on which they were called upon to vote on 30th
Odober of that year. The vote ca
t gave a majority of 1,321 in
favor of carrying out the prmoision;:, of the
\..d in the county of
Bruce.
Seren times have th(' elector
of Brllce been called upon to e\..press
their attitude on the temperanC'e que
tion. \Vhat that has heen mav
h
seen hy a study of Appendix R. which :shows the numher of votes
east for anù again:;t prohibition 011 each of these occasions. rrhe
inference the author draws from a compari
on of the various voting:;
i
that thpre is a
trong
('ntiment within the county for sobriety,
hIt whidl
('ntinH
nt is not vig-oron:, enough to
l't' that temperance
kgislation is pnforced. As a rl':'ttlt of thi" lack of moral fibre neither
HI(' " Jhmkin
\ct" or tJ)(' ..
("ntt .\ct" were cl1forceù a:-: till')" might
!la\ (' h('('n. Tn fI!l(lition to thi:-:. r('
p('ct for law \\fl
lo\\"erl'ù, per-
f,
130
DRINKING CUSTOMS
jury was commonly practised when those who violated the Act were
prosecuted, and drinking habits were in no sense changed. The
result of this evading of law, of this moral abasement, was a revul-
sion of feeling as to prohibition enactments, so that both in 1879
and 1888, when the next occasion of voting occurred, large majorities
were given against the continued enforcement of temperance legisla-
tjon in Bruce
At this point it might not be amiss to refer to the great change
which has occurred in regard to the drinking customs of the people
since the settlement of the county. Then whiskey was so low in price
that its cost was not considered,l the price being twenty-five cents to
thirty cents a gallon.
o universal' was the use of whiskey that no
social gathering would have been considered complete without it.
It was passed around as a necessary and expected thing at every log-
gjng bee, in every harvest field, and wherever any strenuous effort
was to be put forth. It was looked upon as the elixir of life, to be
drunk in winter to warm one up, and in summer to preserve from
being overcome by the heat. 2 Such being the habits of the people,
taverns were everywhere. In confirmation of this it may be stated
frat during the sixties there were on the Durham Road, between
Walkerton and Kincardine, no less than thirteen taverns, and other
fIt is related of one of the first settlers at Hanover, who had hung out
a shingle to indicate that his shanty was a tavern, finding he could not
spend time waiting for chance customers to call at the bar, he, when
working in the bush, left a pail filled with whiskey and a tin cup for
anyone to help themselves, and a box to put their money in. The cost of
what might be drunk being so small it was not worth while considering
it, even if it were not paid for.
2The following account of an hotelkeeper at Goderich, presented for
payment to the United Counties Council of Huron and Bruce, January
session, 1852, would be considered unique at the present day, especially
when it is considered who contracted the indebtedness. It also throws
a strong light 0';1
he. t
en prevailing drinking customs :
The Board of Education Dr.
To J. Rattenbury.
1850
Dec. 9 To 3 Glasses of hot brandy ....................
9 4 Dinners, including beer ....................
9 2 Bottles of brandy ........................
10 4 Lunches 7 1 h ......,................... . . . .
10 2 Bottles porter, Is. 6d. ......................
10 2 Glasses brandy, 1 hot do., 2 lunches.........
s. d.
1 6
6 0
6 3
2 6
3 0
2 41;2
fl 1 7th
Payment of the above was refused by the Council.
FEWER T A VER
S
131
leading roads would have shown a corre::;pondingly large number.
At the time of writing (1905) the thirteen taverns have dwindlß<l
down to four. It had been asserted that the reason taverns were
so close together on the leading roaç1s in the early days was because
then people did not dress as warmly as now. Then a fur coat was
rarely seen. Warm knitted underwear was almost unknown. A
knitted sash wound around the waist and a muffler round the throat
were the only additions made to the ordinary dress of a man by way
of preparation for a long, cold drive, consequently the drive consisted
of a number of haltings at the different taverns to get warmed. Now,
wrapped in warm furs, long drives are only broken when necessary
to wa ter the horses. The manufacture of liquor was carried on then
as never since. To-day the only manufacturers in this line of busi-
ness within the county are three brewers of lager beer. Forty years
ago whiskey distilleries were flourishing in several villages in the
county; now there is not one. \Vhen the aut.hor reached Kincardine
ill 1856 he found a distillery and a brewery there, to which another
hrewery was added in the following year. In time all of these closed
up, and it is years since liquor has been manufactured at Kincardine.
The following figures as to the number of licenses issued tell most
forcibly the rapid change regarding the use of liquor in Bruce. In
] 874 there were issued within the county 180 tavern and 20 shop
licenses. In 1902 the number stood at 80 and 4, respectively.l The
finding of e
citement in other ways, the different view taken of one
who becomes intoxicated, and the general elevation of the standard
of what a man is expected to live up to has, in addition to what
churches and temperance organizations have done, produced in the
county of Bruce a generation of men who are of temperate, sober
habits.
During the summer of 1884 the subject of a re-arrallgement of
the counties of Bruce, Huron, Perth, \Vellington and Grey was much
spoken of, the idea being the creation of a new county. This matter
hail been beforc the public for twenty years, and was now discussed
with some vehemence, especially by those towns or villages which
cherished any hope of being maùe a county seat, thè ground for
such propospd change being that the construction of railways had
changed the lines of travel and centres of businoss since thp days
'Therp are thrpe townships in Bruce (Elderslif', Lindsay and
t.
Edmunds) in which no liquor li('('nses are issued, and tl1ree townships
(Arran, Kim'arc1inf' and Sllugeen) in which only one )icensc is issuf'ò.
1:32
'"OLUNTEERS CALLED OUT
when the countic:-; were laid out and county towns :selected. A depu-
tation from Harriston, which waited on the government regarding
this matter, were informed that it was under consideration. The
question was also discussed in the Bruce County Council, but there
and elsewhere the agitation resulted iri nothing, \\ïarton and Kin-
cardine being probably the only localities in Bruce that considered
they might derive an)' benefit from a re-arrangement. of the county.
r.rhe county of Bruce was deeply stirred, especially at those eight
points where volunteer companies existed, when 011 Uay 11th Lieut..-
Co!. Cooper received orders to muster the 32nd Battalion for active
service in the North-West, to aid in suppressing the Riel Rebellion.
This matter has been mentioned in the chapter on "Militia and
Volunteers," but is here referred to as one of the historical features
of the county during the' year ] R85. It would he hard tü overesti-
mate the excitement felt at that time. A week was put in by each com-
pany drilling, after which the various units of the battalion as:sembled
at Southampton. So enthusiastic were many of the volunteers to
respond to the call of their country, that good positions were thrown
up by many. One man belonging to the Paisley company, earning
a salary of $75 a month, gave it up to accept 50 cents a day as a
private in the rank
. .Another, Dr. Ben. Jeffries, of Texas, gave up a
lucrative medical pnletice there and retnrnec1 to Canada that he might
go with his company to the front. Many other examples occurred of
sf'lf-sacrifice springing from full-hearted patriotism; the above are
sufficient, however, to show the spirit felt by our volunteers. At
Walkerton it was estimated that 4,500 people assembled at the station
to see the boys off. This seems to have been the acme of enthusiasm,
although every other point was deeply stirred.
In November, 1885, gravel l'oad debentures amounting to
$191,000 matured. Mr. Cooper, the county treasurer, reported that
only $175,405 of sinking funds were on hand to pay these deben-
tures. He also informed the County Council that t.he sinking funds
raised to pay these debentures had been encroached upon by excess
of expenditure, in years gone by, over amount of rates levied. The
County Council accepted this explanation, and proceeded to issue
debentures to the extent of $20,000 to lllake up the deficit. These
clebentures were made payable in ten years and bore six per cent.
interest. They were sold at a premium, netting the county $22,256.75.
J[armers' Institutes have been the means of diffusing a great
deal of information and of developing a higher type of farming in
JC
IOI{ COCNTY JU])GE
1:{3
Bruce, as well as elsewhere throughout the provin
e. The .first step
towards the starting of such was in 1885, when the Provincial Com-
missioner of Agriculture sent a circular to the various county coun-
cils asking for a grant of $25 to supplement one of like amount made
by the government, to establish a Farmers' Institute in each electoral
district. The County Council of Bruce promptly acquiesced. Two
years elap::;ed. before the several Institutes in Bruce, then jU5t organ-
ized, applied for the grant.
In October of 1885 the appointment was made of a permanent
junior county judge, the position being conferred upon \Villiam
Barrett, at that time a practising barrister at \Valkerton. He had
for several years prior to this acted as junior judge, as occasion
required, but without a fixed appointment or salary. On the retire-
ment of Judge Kingsmill, towards the latter part of 1891, )lr.
Barrett was appointed senior judge, the position of junior judge
being conferred upon A. ß. Klein in 18U3.
Owing to a partial failure of the crops in the northern part of
the county in 1884, a certain amount of distre5s and destitution wa:;
fclt by many of the poorer settlers in that sparsely settled portion
of the eouIlty. On this being known, joint commis
;Íoncr:; were
nppointed by the government and the warden in the following ycar,
a.;; is mentioned in the chapter on the" Indian Peninsula," to take
slIch steps as might be deemed necessary for thc relief of the needy
sdtlers.
The supportcrs of the Canada Temperance Âct within tIll' eounty
during 1886 and 1887 made repeated efforts to have the County Coun-
(.il pass a resolution affirming that it was expedient to have a 5alarit:'(1
police magistrate appointed, to have the provisions of the Act
pn forced. \YJwn
uch adion was tnkpn hy the County Council, under
Statute (48 Vic., chap. 17), the Lieutenant-Governor might at once
makl'
u('h nppointIlH'nt. . Eneh nppliration of t1w support('I":' of the
Act was unsuccessful, there being in the County Council a majority
ndverse to the .\ct, and also other
who thought that if thc Ad was
not enforcprl and convictioIl!:; ohtainc(l it was not for lack of effective
judil'ial mnchinery, but for want of evidence, which, owing to the
peculiar vagarics of public o!)inion, was diflìcult to obtain. The
tempernnce people harl good ground
for endeavoring to have a poliee
IIIngi
trat(' appointcd, difficulty being e:x.pcrienced in getting ß
justice of the peace willing to rereive an information against any
nlIC'gpd \'iolator.;: of th(' prO\ision
of thC' .\ct. Thi
, in n m('n
un',
134
DEFAVLT OF J. G. COOPER
arose because magistrates who had performed their duty were! on
several occasions made to suffer therefor. The necessity of the
initiative being taken by the County Council, as above, was overcome
when in 1887 the Legislatu
e passed an Act 2 empowering the Lieut.-
Governor to appoint police magistrates with salary at his discretion.
Under the provisions of this last-mentioned Act, Richard Vanstone,
a barrister, residing at Kincardine, was gazetted, June 4th, 1887,
as police magistrate for the county of Bruce, at an annual salary of
$1,000 and expenses, to hold office as long as the Temperance Act
remained in force. For almost two years Mr. Vanstone impartially
tried all cases of infringement of the Act, and they were numerous.
In 1886 another railway to enter Bruce obtained a charter 3 under
the title of the "Georgian Bay and Lake Huron Railway." The
eastern terminus was to be at
Ieaford, while its western one was to
he either Port Elgin or Southampton. Unfortunately the charter
lapsed before anything was done in the way of construction.
The excitement marking a general election for the House of
Assembly closed the year 1886, the voting being on December 28th,
\vith the result that J. W. S. Biggar was elected in North Bruce,
YV. :11. Dack in Centre Bruce, and H. P. O'Connor in South Bruce.
rrhis was the first time Bruce sent three representatives to the Legis-
lature, the additional one being granted by the Franchise Act of
1885.
The county at large was startled, when, about the last days of
February, 1887, it became known that James G. Cooper, the county
treasurer, was a defaulter and had fled the country. A special audit
was made by W. F. l\Iunro, accountant, of Tor{)nto, extending over
the period from the 1st January, 1870, to the time :Ur. Cooper left.
To fully take up this matter would fill many pages of this history.
rro "those who wish to become acquainted with the facts the author
would refer them to the report of :Mr.
Iunro and also to that of
'\. B. Klein, which are given in full in the printed copies of the
INo unprejudiced person, at the time, had any doubt as to the origin
of the fire that consumed the barn of Wm. Daniel, J.P., or of the two
fires Joseph Barker, J.P., experienced, one of his office, anti another of his
stables; or of the shots fired at his daughters one night when nearing their
home.
250 Vie. Chap. 11.
BThe lloatin
of this railwav scheme was, in all probability, a political
scheme to catch votes, in view of the election to be held later on in that
year.
F A.RMERS' INSTITUTES
135
minutes of the County Council of the April and June session, 1887,
and to by-laws No. 232 and 233 discharging from all claims the
sureties of J. G. Cooper and Alexander Sproat. The books of the
office show that the loss sustained by the county was $25,701.69. To
tllÍs might be added the c();,t of the investigations and the loss of
interest. At the special meeting of the County Council held in
April, N orman Robertson was appointed county treasurer, which
office he has held up to the present time.
Among the incidents of 1887 worth recording, and alluded to in
a preceding paragraph, was the organizing of a Farmers' Institute
in each of the three elêctoral divisions of the county.l These Insti-
tutes have fully carried out the purposes aimed at, the promoting
of scientific farming and the disseminating of information in regard
to agriculture. Their worth ha
been recogn
zed by the County
Council making annually a grant to each Institute. The large mem-
bership they have is a very encouraging feature, showing a desire
on the part of the farmers of Bruce to possess a knowledge of the
latest and best methods of farming.
The possibility of having the Canadian Pacific Railway continued
through to Lake Huron engaged the attention of the various munici-
palities in the southern part of the county during 1887. One route
proposed was to continue the railway from Teeswater -to Kincardine;
another was to be along the route proposed by the Saugeen Valley
Railway, from
fount Forcst to Tnverhuron, via 'Valkerton, Cargill
and Glammis. 'Towards this latter schcme the member for East
Bruce, )Ir. Cargill, succeeded in having put in the estimates for this
year a grant of $3,200 per mile for the twenty-four miles from Mount
Forest to Walkerton. For the other scheme Kincardine town was
willing to grant a bonus of $30,000. Capitalists, however, could not
be intercsted sufficiently in either proposition, consequently both fell
through.
The Dominion Parliament was dissolved January 15th, 1887,
followed by an election, which took place February 22nd following.
In North RrnrE'. Alpxanrler '[c
('ill wa
again rf'turnE'd, his opponent
being Dr. Bonnar, of Chesley. In West Bruce Hon. Edward Blake
was clected, J. H. Scott having contested the riding against him.
tIn lS!)6 a fourth Farmers' Institute was organized, for that part of
tll(' county north of Hepworth, to be known as the "North Bruce
Fanners' Institute." W.hat remained of the Korth Riding had an Insti-
tute known as that of " West Bruce."
136
HENHY CAHGILL
.A.s Mr. Blake was also returned for 'Vest Durham he resigned his
seat for 'Vest BriIce, and Jame;:; Howand, of Saugeen, was elected
bJ. acclamation. In East Bruce the two candidates were Henry
Cargi1l1 and R. )1. Wells. In thi::; contest the former was success-
ful, but as he was the nominal postmaster at Cargill, he had to
resign. In the by-election that followed he was again returned, this
time defeating R. E. Truax.
Early in March, 1888, a vote of the rat
payers throughout the
county was taken in response to a petition that the "
cott Act" be
l'epealed. The vote (see Appendix R) was decisively against the
...\ct remaining in force in Bruce.
The valuation of the county, as fixed in 1878-9 for equalized
ssessment purposes, continued for ten years as the basis on which
to calculate the levy of county rates. This period having nearly
p]api'en. a fr('F:h valuation wm: (leeided upon. The men selected by
the County Council to do this wOl'k were James Brocklebank, of Brant,
and H. T. Potts, of Arran; both being practical farmers, they were
well qualified to judge correctly the value of farm lands, and at the
same time were men of -wide municipal experience. The work
of valuating was commenced in 1888, and at the June session of
1889 the report was presented to the County Council and adopted.
'rhe township of Kinloss, however, thought it had not been equitably
assessed, and entered an appeal, which was sustained by Judge
Kingsmill, who ordered a reduction of the Kinloss assessment to the
extent of $82,366.
The last of the outstanding debentures of the large issue of
$250,000, given as a bonuf.1 to the 'V ellington, Gre
' and Bruce Rail-
way, matured December 6th, 1889, and were promptly paid as pre-
sented. The effect on the finances of the county on being relieved
IHenry Cargill was born, August 13th, 1838, in the township of
Nassagaweya. His father and mother were natives of the county of
Antrim, Ireland. He was fortunate in having had the advantage of a
course at Queen's College, Kingston. While still a young man he entered
into the lumber business in his native county of Halton. In 1879 he came
to reside in Bruce. Having succeeded in purchasing a large portion of
the Greenock swamp, he was f'nabled to develop its almost untouched
resources, and built up a large lumber industry, and ultimately became
the wealthiest man in the county. The village that bears his name
owes its existence to him. He was reeve of Greenock for three years,
and represented East Bruce in the House of Commons almost continuously
from 1887 until his sudden death, which occurred at Ottawa, October 1st,
1903. He was married in 1864 to Miss Margaret Davidson, of Halton, and
had a family of four children. A staunch Conservative in politics, yet
possessing the esteem of his political opponents. He was a man of the
most kindly disposition, and a member of the Presbyterian Church.
THE GAOLEHSHIP
137
of such a large debt was very marked, the county rate being reduced
to about one-half of what it had been.
In 1890 the County Council surprised itself and the constituency
at large by accomplishing its legislative duties for the whole year in
two sessions, an achievement never attempted before or since; no
complaint, either, was ever made that anyone suffered from delay
in legislation, or from a dearth of it.
A general election was held June 5th, 1890, for the Ontario
House of
\..ssembly. The result of this election was that in North
Bruce, John George (Con.) was elected, his opponent being David
Porter (Lib.).l In Centre Bruce, W. 11. Dack (Lib.) was returned,
this riding b.eing contested by Alex. Shaw (Equal Right
). In South
Bruce the two candidates were H. P. O'Connor (Lib.) and Dr. John
S. Tennant (Con.), the former of whom was successful.
The year 1891 was not in any way eventful to the county of
Bruce in its entirety, the general elections for the Dominion House,
held March 5th, being the only event to record. In the riding of
N" orth Bruce, Alex.
IcN eill defeated Dr. Bonnar. This election wa:,
petitioned against unsuccessfully. In 'Vest Bruce, James Rowand
was re-elected, his opponent being Hugh :Morrison, of Lucknow. East
Bruce returned R. E. Truax, who had a majority of 114 over the olù
member, Henry Cargill, but was unseated at the election trial which
followed a protest. At the by-election that followed, the positions
were reversed, :Mr. Cargill carrying the constituency.
On November 29th, 1891, an old servant of the county, Samuel
Roether, c1ied, the vacancy caused by his death resultin
in a
scramble for the position. It seems that the gaolership has anomalous
features: the Eheriff appoints the official, the government confirms
the appointment, while the County Council fixes the salary and pays
the greater part of it. The first appointment made by Sheriff Sutton
was Geo. ...\. Henry, of Port Elgin, of which appointment the gov-
ernment did not approve; neither did it of H. B. 1\IcKay, of Walker-
ton, the sheriff's second appointment, political interests and influences
being the cause of the delay in filling the post. rrhe man the poli-
ticians at first wished to have made gaoler the sheriff refused to con-
sider. The upshot of the controversy, which became intense, was
cviflentl)r a determination to change the sheriff. In the summcr of
1892 Æmilius Irving, Q.C., was directed by the government to hold
tIn a by-elec.tion beM March 9th, 1891, tbe situation was reversed, and
Mr. Port('r obtallled tbe seat and represented the riding until bis deatb.
13
SHERIFF SCTTON DIS
n:SSED
an investigation in the matter of some charges made against Mr..
Sutton in his official capacity. On the receipt of the report of this
investigation, in which some of the charges were sustained, :Mr. Sutton
waò asked to resign. This he would not do, so he.was dismissed, and
on November 5th, 1892, Frederick S. O'Connor (a brother of the
member for South Bruce) was gazetted as sheriff of the county, and
a week later the office of gaoler was given to Donald McKechnie, on
the recommendation of the new sheriff. Nothing but the highest
commendation can be uttered of these two appointees, who proved
capable and well qualified for their respective posts.
The question of having established a House of Refuge for the
co
nty (a matter which will be referred to more fully later on) was
much talked about in 1892, and at the municipal elections held in
January, 1893, a vote of the ratepayers was taken, which proved to
be adverse to the proposition. The rural municipalities, with one
exception, opposed it, while the urban municipalities, with two
exceptions, were in favor of having such an institution.
The County Council of 1893 proved to be one of the most liberal
the county had known in the matter of making grants for roads and
bridges. The grants made that year totalled well over $20,000,
resulting in several large iron bridges being constructed over the
Saugeen and other streams.
Grasshoppers were so numerous in the summer of 1893 as to be
a scourge in some parts of the county, especially towards the south-
-western part of it, gardens and meadows especially suffering there-
from. It is stated that these pests developed a taste for binder-twine,
and sheaves in the harvest fields had, by the row, their binding
devoured, and had to be rebound by hand.
David Porter, M.P.P. for North Bruce, died August 7th, 1893.
An election to fill the vacancy so caused resulted in the return of
D. :McN aughton, the reeve of the township of Bruce. The political
atmosphere of the county, from several causes, was much stirred
during 1893. The Premier, Sir John S. D. Thompson, and some
of his colleagues, visited the county and addressed large meetings.
As a set-off to this the leader of the Opposition, the Ron. Wïlfrid
Laurier, and some of his lieutenants, followed the same course, and
enlightened the electors of Bruce on political measures from their
point of view. Most of the meetings were held during the month
of September. Another element in the political atmosphere was a
new party known as the Patrons of Industry, a party or society
THE PATRO:S-S
] :19
which to some extent has by many been associated with the Grange
movement. This is an error, the ends sought by these two societies
being entirely different. In the preceding chapter an outline of the
objects of the Grange Society is to be found, which shows that what
the Grange strove after was the advancement of the material interæts
(\f the farmers. rrhe Onta
io Association of the Patrons of Industry
was organized at London, September 22nd, 1891, with aims avowedly
political. 1 There were thirteen planks in the platform of the society,
as then laid down, most of which were largely along the lines of
securing improved legislation, of rigid economy in the public service,
and of purity in the administration of government. It was not long
after the above date before the order had lodges established in Bruce,
which increased in number to eighty-five, or thereabout. The first
representative of the order sent to Parliament from Bruce was D.
1tlcN aughton, elected as member for X orth Bruce in the by-election
for that riding in 1893, as mentioned above. At the general elec-
tion for the Ontario House of Assembly in 189-1, a Patron candidate
was nominated in each of the three ridings in Bruce: D.
IcN aughton
in North Bruce (elected) , John S. :McDonald in Centre Bruce
(elected), and 'Villiam Val ens in
outh Bruce (defeated), R. E.
Truax being the successful candidate in this riding. At the next
general election for the Dominion House of Commons, held in 189G,
Patron canùidates were nominated, but, as herein stated in the events
of that year, only one, John Tolmie, was elected. As a political
party the Patrons of Industry have lost much of their influence, but
the effect they have had, in Bruce at least, has been to lead electors to
break away from mere party lines and think and vote in an inde-
pendent manner, instead of being but a cog in a political machine.
rfhe municipal elections for 1894 were held on N ew Year's Day.
Concurrent with them there was cast a vote in all municipalities
throughout the province on "The Prohibition Plebiscite Act," which
in Bruce brought out the largest vote the temperance question there
polled, the particulars of which are to be found in Appendix R.
The year 1894 marked the first failure of a private bank within
the county, the firm being that of H. A. Allen, of Port Elgin. In
'Some organizers added, as an inducement to establish a lodge, a clause
authorizing an arrangement being made with some merchant to sell goods
at an advance of 10 per cent. on cost price to members of the Order,
but !his was outside of the Constitution of the Order. At Paisley,
Dobbmgton, Chesley, \Valkerton, and possibly elsewhere also, such an
arrangement was made with a storekeeper which proving unprofitable
to the latter, did not last long. " .
.140
DEBENTURE INDEBTEDNESS ])AID
'the following year J. C. Graham, a private banker of Tiverton, also
failed. Other failures of this description, which may as well be
grouped together, were those of F. X. :Messner, of Formosa, in 1897,
and that of the Carrick Banking Co., of Mildmay, in 1898. Those
who suffered most by these various failures were farmers who, to
obtain a higher rate of interest, had deposited with them their sav-
ings. Of late years the number of private banks within the county
has materially decreased, they having been absorbed by chartered
banks on the latter establishing an agency in the towns and villages
where they were in business.
Those who make a note of the condition of the weather had in
1895 many unusual items to record. During the first week of Feb-
ruary, at 'Valkerton, the thermometer dropped so low that the mer-
cury froze and during four days remained below zero. The last
week of April and the first in !\lay were marked by summer-like
weather. As a result the trees were in full leaf by l\Iay 7th. This
unseasonable heat was followed on !\Iay 12th by a hard frost, so
severe that not only were the fruit trees injured, but also many forest
trees, beeches especially, were in many cases either killed or perma-
nently injured, the result of all the freshly opened leaves being frozen
and falling off. The spring and summer of 1895 were unusually dry.
The grain crops did not suffer for want of rain to such an extent as
did the hay crop, which was such a complete failure that, to meet the
needs of stock owners, large quantities of hay had to be imported
into the county. This baled hay found a ready sale at $18.00 a ton,
and in some cases even more was paid. Chopped straw mixed with
grain was largely used to feed stock, but even straw was so scarce
that $11.00 a ton was paid for it. The exigencies of the season
made farmers try various methods of feeding stock, and in doing so
they learned the lesson that stock could be carried over until spring
and even do fairly well, on other fodder than what had in the past
been principally relied on, namely, hay and roots. So the drought
was not without some measure of benefit, although the lesson was a
hard one, and felt by all classes of the community.
With the payment, in 1895, of the $20,000 worth of debentures
i!:'sued ten years prp\ iously, the county became free of debt. In
Supplement T there is givpn a complete list of the various issues
of debentures of thc county of Bruce. The total, $709,000, is a
large sum. Still none can say but that the ends sought,-while in-
('lining large ohligatiom:,-wC're for the goon. of t1w community at
large.
ELECTRIC RAILWAY AGITATIOX
141
:Mr. George Gould, who had performed the duties of county
clerk since 1861, felt compelled by failing health to tender his
resignation in December, 1895. With much regret the County
Council accepted .Ur. Gould's resignation, and appointed his son,
'Vm. S. Gould, to fill the vacancy, which post he has held unto the
present time.
The House of Commons having been dissolved in the spring of
1896, a general election was held June 23rd. The Patrons of
Industry had candidates 1n the North, East and West ridings of
Bruce, they being respectively, H. T. Potts, James Tolton, and
John Tolmie. The latter alone was returned, the other two ridings
l.eturning A. McNeill and Henry Cargill, who had sat for these
constituencies in the preceding parliament.
'rhe southern part of the county had, in the winter and spring
of 1896, presented to them for the first time the proposition of
an electric railway. :Mr. E. A. C. Pew, a railway promoter, came
into the county and held public meetings at 'Valkerton, Kincardine
and other points. The scheme he proposed was on a large scale
and obligingly comprehensive, the various terminal points being
Port Perry at the east, Goderich at the west, Meaford at the
north, while radial lines were to connect all points in the interven-
ing country that would subscribe to a fund for getting surveys
made and a Bill pas:;ed through the House of Commons. Mr. Pew
found little difficulty in having his proposition taken up by the
business portion of the community, a provisional Board of Direc-
tors appointed, anù funds raised sufficient to enable initial steps
l'cing taken. In
\pril, 1896, the House of Commons passed a Bill,l
but not without a good deal of opposition, incorporating this the
:, Huron and Ontario Railway Coy." 'l'he ('harter, so obtained,
has been extendeù and offered to any capitalists who would con-
struct the road, but so far without success. Such a line of electric
road win surely be constructed some day, and will be found a great
convenience to the public.
Lieut.-Co!. A. E. Belcher, reeve of Southampton in 1896, had
for some time been impressed with the necessity of taking steps
towards collecting historical data about the settlement of thè
county, before all the pioneers had pnssed away. After severai
attempts, he brought the County Council to his way of thinking,
find at the January session a motion was passed, offering a prizé
1;)9 Vie'. Chap. 20.
l..J.i
CHANGE IX COUNTY COUNCIL
of $50 for the best historical ;sketch of the county, to be submitted
at the next session. In response, two papers were handed ill7 one
written by J. :M. MeN abb, of Southampton, and the other by the
writer; both papers were considered so deserving of a prize that
(ach received the full amount offered.
The increase in the number of reeves and deputy reeves amI
consequently. in the size of County Councils throughout the prov-
ince, aTising from the increase of population, gave cause for much
discussion as to the advisability of reducing the number of county
councillors. As early as 1884 the Provincial 8ecretary sent to
the various municipal councils within the province, a list of ques-
tions, requesting answers wh ich would express their opinion on this
matter. The question was a ditficult one to settle, and no action
seems to .have resulted until ten years later, when the Legislative
Assembly .then asked for .. a return showing the population of each
county and, district, and the municipalities therein." This was
followed in 1896 by an Act I . .c to reduce the number of county
councill
rs." By this act a county was to be divided for County
Council purposes into divisions; each division to be entitled to two
representatives, the number of these divisions was to be based upon
the 'population of the county. Commissioners appointed by the
Lieut.-Governor-in-Council decided the limits of the divisions, and
in. doing so endeavored to have them as nearly equal as possible
in regard to population. The commis'Sioners so appointed met at
'ValkèrtoD June 29th, 1896. After hearing and considering the
ev:idence offered, they divided the county of Bruce into nine div-
isions, thereby reducing the size of the County Council, which
under the ..9ld system had forty-four members, but under the new
would have only eighteen. The report made by the commissioners
is given in full in Appendix U. The views held by the forty-four
reeves and deputy reeves who, under the new order of things, would
no. longer be ex-officio members of the County Council of Bruce.
may be best recorded in the words of the warden (the late J. H.
Elliot,. of Chesley), in his final official report to the Council at its
last: seB,sipn,' heJd in December, 1896. "I cannot help feeling that
thiE sittiI;1g..pf. the County CouncH is memorable from the fad that
jt marks- .the. end of a ]ong-e
tablished system and the introduction
o
...aQ- .ßJpe\'il1lf::utal Dne. 'Ve have. hitherto assembled. a,S. chose
presept
tiYe$: -of .twenty-six municipalities of the county. of Bruce,
li)9 Vie. ('113. p. ;)
.
THE WARDEN'::) OPIXIO.N ABOUT THE CHANGE 143
and our ranks have swelled in the course of time to the high water
mark of forty-four members, but the hand of reyolution has been
laid upon our system and has shattered its foundation and substi-
tuted for it an electi \ e system by districts, created and delimited
by judicial commissioners. Uur county i:::; now divided into nine
districts, and two representatives will be elected by the people next
January for each of these districta instead of an assembly of forty-
fúur. The next County Council will number only eighteen. In-
stead of men who are here because they are associated with local
council boards, there will be men who will be elected by the direct
,ote of the people. These changes mayor may not be an improve-
ment. The new system is an experiment which should receive a
fair trial before we condemn or commend it, but this much at least
is certain, that we will not hereafter know as much about each
úther as heretofore. One of the pleasant features of our meetings
has been the friendly intercourse which we have had with members
from every part of the county, and the larger the representation
the wider that intercourse of thought and opinion has been, the
wider has been the circle of our county acquaintance. That here-
.after this is to be narrowed down brings to our mind the pleasant
memories of the past, and regret that the future has not in store
for our successors such opportunities as we have hitherto enjoyed.
] am pleased to be able to :::;ay for this li ttl e parliament of the
county of Bruce what cannot be said of the great Dominion Parlia-
ment of this Canada of ours. 'Ve leave a clean
late, no debt be-
hind us for our successors to grapple with, though we have taken
this county of ours from the forest to what it is to-day, and we
leave many monuments behind us of the work we have done, those
fine steel bridges all over the county and the many other improve-
ments we have made. And how did we do all this work? By
direct taxation, which in my opinion is the proper sourcc from
which all public money should come. The County Council is dead;
long live the County Council I"
The councillors could not separate for the last time without having
it bit of fun over being put out of office, so whcn all the sessional
work was over the following bogus motion was brought forward :
,. )Ioved by James Should ice, scconded by Hcnry )[cKay, ' That
HI) the death of the County Council is at hand, and as we desire that
everything he òone decently finù in order, we would therefore re-
('ommend that the following be' named as chief mourners, viz.,
14-1
THE COUNCIL'S VIEW OF THE CHANGE
:Messr3. Lieut.-Co!. Belcher, Robert Johnston, and Henry :McKay,
and that the following be engraved on the tablet to be erected-
" 'Sacred to the memory of the County Council of the
County of Bruce.'
,. · Peaceful ma:r thy slumbers be,
From cares and labor thou art free ;
By action of the Government
Into oblivion thou art sent.
" , Thou stalwart, gallant forty-four,
Your services are required no more;
Eighteen men shall be elected
To do the work :rou were expected.
" , But should the change not work, as is suspecte(l,
Old boys, you may be re-elected
rro fill your places as before,
Thou gaUant, stalwart forty-four.' "
After a laugh at the above, the members joined hands, feelingly
sang ... Auld Lang 8ynr,'. and then parting, the little parliament of
Bruce County became a thing of history.
The County Council of 1897, reduced in numbers so as to
eem
but a petty body of legislators compared to its predecessor
, al-
though retaining all the authority they had possessed, tackled the
House of Refuge question in earnest, and passed a motion directing
that the wishes of the ratepayers be obtained by a plebiscite vote,
to be taken at the time of the next municipal elections,l in January,
1898.
The initial move towards securing a House of Hefuge for aged
aud enfeebled indigents within the county, dates back to the De-
cpmber session of 1881 of the County Council, when Edward Leslie
(of Kincardine) and Wm. Bradley (of Greenock) moved: "That
the County Clerk obtain information a
to the cost and main-
tE.nance of the lately established Poor House of the county of Well-
ington; at the same time the two reeves of Carrick (Wm. Dickison
and James Johnston) moved that reports be obtained from the
various local municipalities in Bruce as to the amount spent by
them _ annually in support of indigents. Following these motions
a committee was appointed to consider tIle matter, which at the
lIn 1893-The majority against establishing a House of Refuge was
2,37. 8 . Total votes polled, 8,880. In 1898-The majority in favor of
establishing a House of Refuge was 2,477. Total votes polled, 7,996.
RoeSE OF REFUGE VOTE
1-1-5
next t)e:::sion reported in favor of the establishment of a Hou-;e of
Refuge. Thcre waß not, however, enough enthusiasm felt to urga
cn the question; so it lay in abeyance until 1888, when the matter
was again brought to the front, Dr. De \Vitt H. )Iartyn (of Kin-
<.:ardine) and Dr. \V. S. 8cott (of Southampton) being the movers
therein, at the January session of that year of the County Council.
The committee thcn appointed chose Lieut.-CoL J. H. Scott a5
its chairman. From that time on until he laid the corner-stone of
the House of Hefuge ten years later Co1. ;;cott labored assiduously
nd untiringly in the interests of this most humane and charitable
object. The voluminous tabulated reports made by him in 1888,
1892, and 1897, to the County Council, and the sheets of infor-
mation prepared by him for the ratepayers on the two occasions
when a vote was taken on this question, namely, in 189! and 189b,
deserve more than a passing word of commendation. This fact
was recognized when there was conferred upon him the honor of
laying the foundation stone of the building, June 24th, 1898.
The inquiry as to the cost of maintaining indigents by the local'
municipalities showed that in 1881 nineteen municipalities (all
tbat then reported) had spent $2,508.-1:3 in granting such relief.
In 1887 all town
hips and villages furnished reports, the total of
expenùiture was $3,9-16.3-1, while in 1890 it had risen to $4,393.66.
These amounts are much in excess of the net e'\:penditure of the
House of Refuge at present, showing that even from the low level
of economy the ratepayers did wisely when, in 1898, they voted to
establish this charitable institution, while those who voted from
humane motives have seen in the comfort and content of the old
folks residing at the House of Refuge their fullest anticipation::;
realized. The inquiries made of the local municipalities revealed
one uncommendable practice, namely, that of foisting, if possible,
the poor on neighboring municipalities. This practice was candidly
("(mfe
ed by the village clerk of one of the smallest of our villages
i!1 his reply to the questions propounded. His report reads as follows:
., In 1885 this municipality had one indigent, which cost only $2,
because we shipped him off. In 1886 one indigent cost $10; we
Bhipped him, too. In 1887 we had also one indigent, who was brought
here, and was too far gone for shipping purposes. He died on our
}}ands, and cost $124."
The vote of the ratepayers, given 3rd January, 1898, on thp
House of Refu
e question, was so pronounced in favor of having
146 HoeSE UF REFUGE TO BE AT WALKERTON
trne established that the County Council, without loss, of time, took
Ole preliminary step of advertising for a suitable site for the build-
ing, and met again in March to decide on the offers made. These
numbered over fifty and from all parts of the county. A process of
weeding out had to be undertaken. The decision finally arrived at
was that only farms in close proximity to the towns of Kincardine,
Port Elgin and \Valkerton would be considered. 1 The County Coun-
cil then decided that it, as a committee of the whole, should visit
lInd examine the various sites offered. Port Elgin was first visited
and what it had to offer considered. The next day the councillors
drove to Kincardine and inspected the sites there offered. At &
meeting held in that town the County Council decided to continue
its journey to Stratford and see the House of Refuge lately built
there by the county of Perth, it having been reported to be the one
which for size, arrangement and cost would most probably be suit-
able for Bruce. The visit to Stratford was not ill judged; many
members of the Council were largely in the dark regarding the
requirements of the building and of the regulations of an up-to-date
House of Refuge. There they had an object lesson, and one that
pleased them so well that on its l'eturn to \Yalkerton the Council
instructed the architect 2 of the building they had so admired to make
plans and specifications for a building along similar lines, but to
('mbody whatever improvements experience showed could be made,
and large enough to accommodate 125 inmate5. It wa
no easy
matter to settle where the building was to be erected. Each of the
four towns set a high value upon having the institution in its vicinity,
so that it was not until the forty-sixth ballot was cast by the County
Council that Walkerton obtained the much coveted honor. The lands
there secured for a site are very suitable, having fin area of sixty-two
and a half acres, between forty and fifty acres of which are profitably
cultivated. The amount paid for the land was $3,821. . Having
decided where to build, and al
o having settled on the plan, tenders
were advertised for and considered at a meeting of the County
Council held in
Iay. The tender of Messrs. Cawsey and Young
(of Stratford) for all the work was accepted, the price being $16,440.
The building wa!' complpted in Dcc(,l1l bel', and reccivcn its first
tThis waR afterwards amended and the neighborhood of Paisley was
also included.
2The late Harry .T. Powell. of Stratforll.
COS1 OF HOeSE OF UEFCüE
147
inmates in the first week of January, 190u. In a footnote! are
given the particulars of the actual cost of this fine building and
equipment. The following were the officers appointed to look after
the House of Refuge and its inmates: Keeper, J oseph
1. \Vhite;
)Iatron,
Irs. Joseph
L Wnite; Inspector, 'Vm. S. Gould. After
a year's experience it was decided that the inspector's duties could
be undertaken by the keeper, which arrangement is still in force.
The average annual net cost of the House of Refuge for the five
years, 1900-04, has been $3,036.25.
ow that the agitation as to the
advisability of having a comfortable home for infirm or aged indi-
gents is settled, and also the controversy where it should be located
has calmed down, there exists a feeling throughout the community
that all through a wise course has been followed, and nothing but
commendation is extended towards the men who carried the issues
to a successful termination.
The same spirit which led to the establishment of a House of
TIefuge for the indigents of the county led also to the establishment
of the Children's Aid Society of the County of Bruce. This was
organized at a meeting held at Walkerton Xovember 21st, 1898, and
was incorporated by order of Council passed in the following month.
The object of this society is to improve the condition of all neglected
and dependent children within the county. This is done by provid-
ing homes for the homeless, by securing better treatment for those
neglected by their parents, and in assisting really needy families in
caring for their little ones. Over fifty caSè
have been dealt with
hy the society, which has been very fortunate in securing comfortable
homes for it
wards. :Funds for this work are obtained from mem-
'COST OF HOUSE OF REFGGE.
Total preliminary expenses, cost of taking vote, etc........... $1,727 89
Total cost of land and buildings and sewer........ $23,8-13 8-1
Total cost of furnishing and equipment............ 2,613 32
Total cost of granolithic walk ............,., . . . . 141 04
$26,598 20
Less Provincial Grant ......................... 4,000 00
22,598 20
Less premium on sale of Debentures
$2-!,326 09
1,160 00
Total net outlay ................................... - . . . $23,1fi6 09
The payments as abo\'e
cre made from the sale of dt'bt'ntures the
Ï!
sue being for $
O,OOO. The balance was paid out of the el1rrent re
enue
of the county.
14
PLAGUE OF CATERPILLARS
bership .fee;; anù voluntary contributions. The late }Iiss Janet
Chisholm, of Brant, left a legacy to the society amounting to $50.00,
and the late W. J. .Moore, a farmer living near Walkerton, bequeathed
to it half his estate, which will amount to seven or eight thousand
dollars. This last bequest has not as yet, at the time of writing
this history, come into the possession of the society, as it is subject
to an annuity payable to :Mr. :Moore's widow for life. A. Shaw, K.C.,
bas been the president of the society since its inception, and has
given a great deal of time and attention, without any remuneration
whatever, to the various cases which have been considered and pro-
vided for. The office of secretary has been filled by E. J. Rowland
and Joseph Morgan.
On :March ht, It;
, a general election for the Legislative
Assembly was held, at which the candidates for the several ridingt'
in the county were: In North Bruce, C. M. Bowman (Lib.)
who
was elected by a majority of 265 over D. ::\1. Jermyn (Con.); in
Centre Bruce, A. Malcolm (Lib.) obtained a majority of 234 over
John S. McDonald (Patron), the late member, while in South Bruce,
R. E. Truax was re-elected by acclamation.
In September of the last-mentioned year the electors were again
asked to cast their ballots; this time it was to vote on the Provincial
Prohibition Plebiscite. The particulars of this vote are to be found
in Appendix R.
.This section of Ontario suffered during three successive summers
from an invasion of forest tent-caterpillars. The last of these years
was 1899. These pests, on account of their numbers, proved very
destructive, maples, basswoods, as well as other trees and shrubs
being stripped of every vestige of foliage; this process repeated three
Yfars in succession resulted in the death of many trees. In towns
and villages the citizens struggled to save their shade trees from the
caterpillars. In this effort they were successful, .as the large mat-
like clusters in which the caterpillars frequently assembled, enabled
a wholesale destruction to be accomplished in short order. The num-
ber of these pests was almost incredible. In confirmation and illus-
tration of the statement it is on record in the Walkerton newspapers
that a train due there from the north was, near Cargill, brought to a
standstill by the caterpillars; the crushed bodies, countless in number,
over which the driving wheels of the engine had passed, formed a
greasy paste that prevented them gripping the rails, and so the train
slowed down until at last it stopped.
A l'IO
EER GATHERISG
I-H)
A desire, often expressed and deeply felt, that there should be
a gathering of the pioneers and old settlers of the county at ]at,i
became an accomplished fact on 28th July, 1899, at Port Elgin, when
in response to an invitation of a committee of its citizens, the
pioneers of Bruce and their descendants gathered from all parts of
the county, and so had an opportunity of talking over the old days
when they entered the bush to make for themselves homes where
the tall trees stood. The concourse on that occasion numbered
betwee.n two and three thousand. _\.bout an hour before noon a pro-
eession was formed, headed by the brass band of the village. After
the band an old familiar fix-team and outfit, driven by R. H. )lurray,
of _lmabel, led the way. On the sleigh, so drawn, were sheaves of
grain, the thrashing of which, by flails, was gone on with as the
procession wended its way to Lake View Park, where, after a sub-
stantial meal, a number of old-timers were called upon to address
the assembly and recount their recollections of the days of the early
settlements in Bruce. But possibly the most enjoyed feature of the
a
semblage wa
the meeting of old-time acquaintances, foeparated
for years, who there met and enjoyed a good old chat of the days
when their heads were not grey, but when life was young, and of
the hardships they encountered in the bush, now things to be laughed
at. The gathering was a success, so much so that it has become' one
of annual occurrence, much appreciated and largely attended. The
citizens of Port Elgin who do so mnch to maintain the enthusia:;Ul
of these annual gatherings dæerve a great deal of commendation
from those who cheri
h a \\ arm feeling for the days of the early
settlement of Bruce and wish to
ee its memories preserved.
It is highly probable that the bame current of sentiment which
prompted the meeting of the pioneel'3 of the county, mentioned in
the last paragraph. was also the cause which led to thp "Bruce Old
Boys' Reunion" that so successfully materialized July 23rd to August
.t th, 1900. The inception of this much-enjoyed gathering is credited
to some of the Bons of the county residing at Toronto. Prominent
nmong them in the originating and working out of this happy idea
were the following: James H. Spence, W. A. Skean
, John R. Shaw,
Geo. H. Kilmer, ""alter O'Hara, besides others whose names the
fluthor is nnahlr to furnish. The carrying to a succ('SSful conrlusion
of this reunion involved an immcnse amount of work, the largest
part of which fell upon the shoulders of _\rthur CoBins. of ""'alker-
ton, the Secr(.tary of t1w Executive ('ommitt('e. Fir:,t n li
t of ah
f'nt
150
"OLD BOYS'" REUNIOS
Bruce boys, with their place of residence, had to be com piled. Then
the railway companies had to be enlightened as to the advantage it
would be to them to offer reduced rates. This secured, circulars
inviting all the absentees to the reunion had to be mailed, the nUlll-
ber of which exceeded eighteen hundred. The fundamental idea of
the originators was to have a gathering of the widely scattered Bruce
boys from north, south, east and west. In the past, whenever any
of these had returned to revisit the scenes of ,their youth, they found
that they only met of their old comrades those who had remained at
home, while those who had wandered away-like themseh-es, being
only occasionally at their old home-were not seen. "If only all the
old boys could be back at home together, how much more pleasant
it would be," was the thought that urged the promoters on to make
the efforts which resulted so successfully. The first steps were taken
in February, and by the end of 11ay the invitation circulars were
iE.sued announcing special rates on all the railways east of the
Mississippi and north of the Ohio rivers. These circulars were sent
by the secretary to all known addresses of Bruce boys living between
K ew York and Vancouver. It must be acknowledged that the county
town and its sons living at Toronto took the lead in this enterprise.
'Vhcn the 23rd of July came, the Toronto contingent left that city
on a special train engaged to take them to \Valkerton. They brought
with them the full band of the 48th Highlanders, which headed the
procession that marched from the railway station to the town hall,
where the mayor extended a greeting to alL The welcome the old
hoys met with from their native town and county must have reached
the fullest expectations of any of them. Those whose homes were
in other parts of the county received just as cordial a greeting as
did those whose destination was \Valkerton. All expressed enthusi-
astically their feelings at the success of the reunion. About seven
hundred took advantage of this opportunity to view old scenes and
to renew old friendships. Since then there have been, almost annu-
nlly, excursions from Toronto of the Old Boys of Bruce. These seem
to be growing larger from year to year, e.g., in 1904 the train that
left Toronto consisted of thirteen coaches, filled with "Old Boy
"
anxious to visit once more their native county. The" Association of
:Bruce Old Boys" at Toronto has done much to keep alive a feeling
of pride and loyalty for the native county of its members, and also.
a fraternal feeling among those of its offspring who have" swarmed"
(Iff from its borders.
PROPOSED RAILWAY ]
PESI
SULA
1,)1
The Indian Peninsula had high hopes, in 1900 anù 1901, of a rail-
way being constructed through its entire length from Tobermory to
'Viarton, when the Ontario House of Assembly incorporated! "The
Manitoulin and X orth Shore Railway." This line was to connect
:Meaford with Tobermory, from whence it was intended that a ferry
should convey freight and pas
enger cars to the )Ianitoulin Island;
from thence, by mcans of a bridge at Little Current, the line would
be continued to
ault Ste. )Iarie. The promise of gO\ ernment aid
to help in the construction of the road was granted; this, with the
appearance of surveyors to locate the route of the railway, gave the
assurance that the road would certainly be pushed to completion.
But since the departure of the surveyors but little has been heard
regarding this railway. It has been said that the proposed road was
nothing more than a political bait, with which it was expected to
catch votes at the next provincial election in the various constituencies
through which it was to pass.
Over ten years having elapsed since the county was valuated for
the purpose of an equalized assessment, the County Council in June,
1ÐOO, appointed valuators to make a fresh valuation. On this occa-
sion four men were appointed: two, L. T. Bland and H. T. Potts,
were to value the property situated in the several townships, and two,
Edward Kilmer and J. B. Campbell, to value the property in the
s
veral towns and incorporated villages in the county. Their reports
were received at the June session of the following ycar. Thesc showed
many changes, which made a reduction of $139,040 from the equal-
ized assessment of real property of the preceding year. The total
aEsessment of the county of real property, as returned by the
valuators, ,\-as $25,378,972.
A gencral election for the Dominion House of Commons was
held November 7th, 1900, resulting in the return, in 'Vest Bruce,
of John Tolmie (Lib.), his opponent being John George (Con.).
In East Bruce, Henry Cargill (Con.) succeeded in being re-elected,
John Coumans (Lib.) being the defeated candidate. In
orth
Bruce, Alex. McX eill was elected by the narrow majority of one. As
might be expected an election trial followed, which resulted in the
unseating of J\lr. .McNeill. At the by-election that followed (:March
20th, 1901) J ames Halliday (Con.) was electcd. Thc Liberal can-
didate in hoth of th('se contest" was J. E. Campbell, of Hepworth.
The gathering of the pi()lleer
in ] 899 and the reunion of the
'8('(' 63 Yic. ('hap. 11,) ana 1 E(lw. YlL {'hap.
:t
152
BRUCE COUXTY HISTORICAL :;OCIETY
Bruce- Uld Boys in l
UO were fittingly followed in 1901 by the found-
ing of the Bruce County Historical Society. The initiative in this
action came from the County Council, which, at the January session,
1901, appointed a committee to consider the matter. This committee
reported in June, strongly recommending that steps should be taken
to organize such a society for the preservation of items relating to
the history of the county. This report was adopted by the Council,
which at the same time gave a grant of ten dollars to meet any pre-
]iminary expenses. Following up the resolution of the Council, a
meeting was called at Walkerton at the time of the fall Assizes, as
at that time a number of persons from all parts of the county would
be at the county town. At this meeting Lieut.-Col. ....\... E. Belcher
was elected president and Norman Robertson, secretary. A constitu-
tion was adopted, and application was directed to be made for affilia-
tion with the Ontario Historical Society, which affiliation was
obtained. The interest in the society has not been as active as JIlight
have been expected, but good work has been done in collecting
materials bearing on the history of the county, sucþ. as files of news-
pë"Jpers extending from the sixties down, also early maps and plans
oí the villages as they were first laid out. A most successful banquet
was given by the citizens of 'Valkerton to the society in January,
1902, at which a number of old settlers were present, and gave inter-
esting accounts of the early days. Attempts have on several occasions
bH'n made to establish pioneer societies with similar objects to the
above: The earliest of these societies was organized at 'Valkerton,
October 7th, 1881, when some twenty or thirty of the early settlers
g2thered and resolved themselves into" The Bruce Pioneer Society."
Most of those then present have joined the great majority, among
them being Adam Clement and Hugh Todd, of Brant, C. R. Barker,
of Kincardine, and 'Vm. Gunn, of Walkerton. The author has not
been able to find any account of further meetings of this society.
A society bearing the same name was organized at Port Elgin in
1900 which has shown enviable vitality. To it may be given much
praise for the annual pioneers' gathering and picnic at Port Elgin,
The census taken April 1st, 1901, was a disappointment, as it
showed that during the preceding decade the population had declined
to the extent of 5,583. Emigration is the explanation to be given.
The old folks remain at home, while thousands of the young men
and women have gone to the
orth- West or to the cities. Then again,
farms are now much larger than formerly, and owing to the use of
GOOD ROADS GRANT
15a
labor-
aving machinery the large farm requires no more help than
the small one did. In earlier days there were hundreds of fifty-acre
farms anù very few over one hundred acres. To-day farms of two
or three hundred acres or more are common, while the smaller fifty-
Here farms are almost unknown. The changed conditions of farming
largely account for this and also the decrease in poplùation. Farmers
have gro\\'n rich and have added farm to farm, and those who have
'Sold out have sought other localities where, with a moderate amount
of capital, they too may becomf' rich.
The sudden death of F. S. O'Connor, the sheriff of the county, on
\.ugust 16th, 1901, caused a vacancy in the sheriffalty. After a short
delay the government appointed C. V. Parke, of \Viarton, to the
office, which position he has continued to fill.
Two separate lines of railway to run through Bruce were incor-
porated in 1902. One, The Huron and Bruce Railway Co.,! was to
connect Wiarton and Goderich. the line to touch at the various lake
.3hore ports between Goderich and Southampton. The other com-
pany bore the name of The Huron, Bruce and Grey Electric Railway
CO.,2 which name was changed in the following year to The ()ntario
\rest Shorp Electric Uailway Co. It is intended to be part of a
("heme of electric railways radiating from Goderich. One arm of
this road is planned to extend to \Viarton and another, via Lucknow,
to \Valkerton. Up to thp time of writing, however, nothing has been
accomplished in the way of construction of either of these proposed
railways.
The offer made. by the Ontario Government of a grant, under cer-
tain conùitions, to aiù in the.impro\ement of pnhlic highways3 (uut
of a fund of one million dollars set apart for that purpose) was
much discusseù in 1902 throughout the county, especially so in the
Indian Peninsula, where the lack of even modcrately good roads is
s<' fully realized. A visit of the Provineial Commissionpr 0 f High-
ways to Wiarton and the vicinity materially increase"d the interest
n:garding this matter felt in that part of the cuunty. )Ir. H. E.
foore, of Lion's Head, and B. B. :Miller, of \riarton, were promin-
ent in striving to get the public interest aroused regarding this Bub-
ject, addressing meetings held to consider the proposal made by the
government. A study of the conditions attached showed that to
obtain the county's share of the' grant. amounting to
15,ono, an
'2 Eòw. YTT. ('hap. 77.
2
Ell\\'. YTT. ('hap. 78 ana :J Ell\\". YIT. ('hap 9
.
31 Ell\\'. 'on. ('hap.
.
15
REFERESDU
[ VOTE
expenditure of $90,000 would be required, auù as about one-third
01 the grant would have to be expended in the peninsula-which was
a ratio of expenditure disproportionate to the amount of county rates
paid by the peninsula municipalities-the County Council declined
to act in the matter, and the question is still in abeyance. ....\.<3 the
offer made by the Government remains open until the 1st January,
1909, it is possible some action may yet be taken.
. .A general election for the Ontario House of Assembly wa
held
May 29th, 1902, which resulted in the re-election of C. M. Bowman
Illd R. E. rrruax for the riding:; of North and South Bruce respec-
tively, the defeated candidates being D. 1\1. Jermyn, of Wiarton, and
Dr. R. E. Clapp, of
Iildll1ay. In Centre Bruce the election was
keenly contested by :Major Hugh Clark (Con.) and Dr. :M. Stewart
(Lib.), the former being returned. The majority was o1}ly five. A
protest followed, which brought about another election (held February
26th, 1903), when Major Clark was returned by an increased
majority.
"The Liquor Act, 1902,"1 passed by the House of Assembly, sub-
j(>ct to being sustained by a majority of the electors of the province,
was intended to prohibit the
ale of liquor within the province except
by licensed druggists under certain rætrictions. This Act was sub-
mitted to the electors to be voted upon on December 4th, 1902. This
balloting was known as the "Referendum Vote." The vote cast in
Bruce gave the largest majority the temperance party ever obtained
in the county, for particulars of which the reader will please consult
Appendix R. /
"The Representation Act" passed by the Dominion Parliament
in 1903 reduced the number of representatives from Bruce in the
House of Commons from three to two, the ridings to be known as
North and South Bruce. As this Act did not come into force until
the then existing Parliament dissolved, the by-election, held Feb-
ruary 16th, 1904, following the sudden death of Henry Cargill, was
for the old riding of East Bruce. In this election the two candidates
were J. J. Donnelly (Con.) and A. W. Robb (Lib.), the former
carrying the election.
Situated on the Durham Road, partly in Bruce and partly in
Grey, the village of Hanover had developed since it was known as
"Buck's Bridge" until it had a population sufficient to entitle it to
becomp inrorporate'c1. Rut the' npce
ar
'
tep
we're dela
'ed. People
asked why. If any answer were given, the delay was assigned to
12 Ed.w. VII. Chap. 3
.
HA
WVER
155
politicians who feared that the new municipality would unite with
Bruce, on account of the proximity of its county town, which was
only six miles distant, and its vote at parliamentary elections in
South Grey would thus be lost. Be that as it may, the matter at
length came bef-ore the County Council in December, 1898, when a
petition was presented praying to have the preliminary steps for
incorporation proceeded with. In January, 1899, a by-law was
passed by the County Council granting incorporation, and that that
part lying in the township of Brant be annexed to the county of
Grey. The County Council of Grey, however, failed to take action
to complete the annexation. This gave the inhabitants on the Brant
side of the village time to consider the matter, with the result that
they concluded they preferred to remain in Brant, so they obtained a
repeal of the by-law. The Bentinck part of the village obtained
incorporation, and then in 1903 obtained an AcP attaching their
neighbors in Brant nolens volens to their village. This is the only
occasion wherein the count.y of Bruce has lost any of its territory to
its -neighhors.
A pleasing incident to relate are the particulars relating to the
cE<tablishment of the Bruce County General Hospital, the opening
01' which institution supplied the last link required to place Bruce
on a par, as far as regards providing for the suffering or needy, with
any county in the province. This institution owes its establishment
to a bequest of the late \rilliam John ::\[oore, of the township of
Rrant, who died )[arch 13th, 1899, and bequeathed one-half of his
c::tate (which amounted to about $15,500, subject to an annuity
payable to his widow), "To aid in the erection and endowment of
a hospital, at the town of \Valkerton, for the sick and injured of
the county of Rruce, provided suflicient funds were otherwi
e raised
to purchase and erect a suitable building and furniture for the E:.aid
hospital." Thomas nixon ana W'm.
L Sha\\' were the executors of
the estate. To obtain the bequest and apply it for the purpose
intended, "The County of Bruce Gcneral Hospital Trust at Walker-
ton" was incorporated June öth, 1900. An effort wa:;; made in the
same year to get the County Council to a
U1H(, the liability of paying
to ::\Irs. :Moore that proportion of her annuity corresponding to the
amount of the hospital bequest, whieh snm would thu c be set free
and be available for the prosecution of the work. The Council of
that year declined to take any action, but a new Council, that of
] !)O? con
iderea the mattf'r more liherally and agreed to the propos i-
'
Ed \\. Y I r. ('hap. .ili.
15(j
BRUCE COUNTY GE:\ERAL HOSPITAL
tion. rrhe necessary legislation to confirm this action wa::5 obtained
v;ithout delay. Subscriptions also were secured in sufficient amount
to warrant the letting of a contract for the building, which was com-
menced during the summer of 1902. Among the larger contribu-
tions received by the Board of Trustees were the following: From the
tcwn of Walkerton, $2,000; county of Bruce, $1,500; Henry Cargill,
$1,000; David Morrison, $500, and also a great number of others
from $100 down. The hospital was erected and equipped practically
free of debt, which is said to be the first time in the history of the
plovince such a thing has been accomplished. l\Iuch credit for this
it-: due to the assistance rendered the Board of Trustees by the
\Yomen's Hospital Aid Association throughout the county. It wa::;
a happy idea when the trustees requested the ladies of Walker ton to
see what could be done by them to assist in raising funds to meet
the needs of the hospital. The preliminary meeting was held January
10th, 1903, when it was decided to organize a Women's Hospital Aid
Society for the county, with branches in each vi11agc and as many
townships as possible. That this movement might be one of the
women of the county for the support of a county benevolent institu-
tion, and that no ground for supposing the hospital was to be a loccll
affair, the meeting to organize the "\Vomen's County Hospital Aid
tkciety was called to meet at Paisley in February, 1903. )Ir
,
Norman Robertson, of Walkerton, filled the chair at this meeting,
&t which were delegates present from Tara, Chesley, Bouthampton,
Port Elgin, Paisley, Walkerton, and elsewhere. Mrs. Henry Cargill
was elected president, l\Irs. Thomas Dixon, secrctary-treasurC'r. and
also aU the other officers. A constitution. which had becn pl'evioll::,ly
prepared, was considered and adopted. rrhe society thus orgim:z,:,i1
has performed work that has been most gratifying to the hospital
trustees. The following extract from their treasurer's report of
June 1st, 1904, is short and concise, but it tells of much earnest
effort and work. He says: "During the last eight months the ladies
have contributed $2,139.73 to the hospital funds." Truly an amount
the ladies may well be proud of. The first patient was received at
the hospital September 27th, 1903. The total cost of charter, site,
buildings and equipment was $16,645.52. The first laò:v superin-
tendent, l\iiss Barbara Campbell, it is gratifying to statl', ii' a native
of the county. During her régime of a year and a ha If the institu-
Uon was well started on its career of usefulneb.
The winter of 1903-4 was one of almost unprecedented severity.
Sleighing commence
November 18th and continued until ...\.pril
S\JCTH,U1PJU
A TUWX
157
18th following. rrhe storms were severe, blocking both road::; anti
the railways for daY8 at a time. The snowfall was so deep that work
in the woods was stopped in consequence. rrhe difficulty of getting
firewood raised its price exorbitantly. This severe winter was fol-
lowed by a cool summer, frost being experienced each month of the
year.
The general elections for the Dominion House of Commou:; was
held November 3rd, 1904. This was the first elcction under the ncw
.
Representation ...\.ct," by which Bruce was only to return two mem-
bers. l\1uch uncertainty as to the r
sult was felt on account of the
(;haDges in the ridings. In Korth Bruce L. rr. Bland (Conservative)
and J. E. Campbell (Liberal) were nominated; the former headed
the poll by 107 majority In South Bruce the Liberal party nominee,
P. H.
IcKenzie, carried the election by a majority of 150 over the
late member, J. J. Donnelly.
In the fall of 1904 a party of surveyors were engaged in survey-
ing the route for a branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway from
Flesherton to Teeswater or Lucknow, via Walkerton. The following
Jear they went over the ground again. This gave occasion to high
hopes being entertained of a railway entering the county from the east.
In 190G these hop2s materialized by the commencement of construc-
tion operations. The company promise that the line will be open
for traffic to 'Yalkerton (the temporary terminu:;) by the summer
of 1907.
Southampton, on the 1st January, 1905, attained the status of
a town, the fourth ill the county. rrhe first mayor elected was Lieut.-
Co!. A. E. Belcher, a gentleman who has alwa)'R had the intere:;ts of
the town at heart, and has been associated with it for half a century.
The general election for the Hou:::e of Assembly, which resulted
ill the overthrow of the Ross Government, took plaC'l' J alluary 25th,
] 905. At this election the following gentlemen asked for the suffrages
()f the electors of this county: In North Bruce, r. M. Bowman and
.John George; in Centre Bruce, Hugh Clark and Andrew )Ialcolm,
Rnd in South Bruce, Dr. R. E. Clapp and R. E. Truax. The first
n.amed of each of the above candidates was the one who was elected.
The bridge over the Saugeen Hiver near Burgoyne, h.ïlO\\ n as
:McCalder's Bridge, during the spring of 1905 was pronounced unfit
for traffic. At its June session the County Council concluded that
Üue economy required the erection of a steel bridge at this point.
'This it was found involved an outlay of $!),OOO or $10,000. To meet
this it was re:-:oln'(l to issue debentures for that amount. That the
158
CHESLEY BECOMES A TOWN
by-law might have its required reading at the end of three months,
the County Council held a special session in October at Chesley.
This was the first time this village has been thus honored by the
County Council. The meeting there was decided upon out of com-
pliment to the warden, William McDonald, Chesley being his place
of residence.
As the author closes his work on this History in the latter part of
October, 1906, th
narrative of events for the year is necessarily
incomplete. The ranks of the politicians have lately been depleted by
the death of the member for the House of Commons for North Bruce,
L. T. Bland, who, after a long illness, died August 19th. In the
by-election John Tolmie represented the Liberal party and Abram
McLellan the Conservative, the former being the successful candidate.
Chesley, the most vigorous of the village municipalities in the
county, found during the course of the summer that its population
warranted the making of an application for its being proclaimed a
town. The application was granted, and on October 1st the muni-
cipality was raised to the status of a town, the youngest of five in the
county. All will rejoice at the growth of the urban municipalities
of Bruce; the only regret is that our rural municipalities do not
at the same time maintain the number of their population.
With this chapter the history of the county of Bruce as a whole,
during the fifty-eight years following the entrance of the first settler,
is concluded. In other chapters will be taken up the history of the
various local municipalities, in which an effort will be made to supply
local coloring more appropriate there than in the wider outlook of
the whole county. The years covered in the first eight chapter
of
this work have witnessed many changes. The solitude of an unbroken
forest has given place to the earnest life of a prosperous community
possessing every environment conducive to happiness, and surrounded
with every evidenee of advanced civilization. But the strong, earnest
men who came into the county at first and helped to make it what
it is, are finding their ranks thinning out, and those remaining are
grey-haired and bent; but they have . sent out a race worthy of their
sires. Besides those who remain in their native county, Bruce can
claim children who were nourished on
r fertile soil, but now are
scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Wherever these have
roamed we find that they retain a loving loyalty for Bruce, with its
glorious woods, its fertile fields and its grand broad lake. And well
they may, for truly it was a noble heritage that the early pioneers
hewed out of the bush. All honor to their memory.
CHAPTER IX.
SCHOOLS A
SD EDUCATION.
1851-1906.
.ETTLERS had resided within the county of Bruce some three
years before the largest community therein felt the necessity of
C'stablishing a school. .When this time came it was after the 8chool
Act, 13 and 14 Vic., chap. 9, introducing much that proved to be an
advance on previous methods, had come into force, which it did on
July 24th, 1850. The initial step taken in the cause of education
within the county of Bruce was the appointment of a local superin
ten dent by the Council of the united counties of Huron, Perth and
Rruce. School District .No. 3 in the united counties comprised the
six northerly townships in the county of Huron and all of the county
of Bruce.
Ir. John Nairn was the gentleman who received the
appointment of superintendent for this district, the date of which
was December 30th, 1850. At that time there was not a single school
in the whole of the county of Bruce, but during the year 1851 a
commencement was made by the establishing of one at Kincardine,
located in the vicinity of the present railway station, the first teacher
being :ðIrs. Jane Nairn. The following are the particulars concern-
ing it as given in the "Statistical School Report of 1851," of the
Department of Education, and are the only reliable ones available:
Pupils on roll, 66; boys, 31; girls, 35. Number of teachers, 1;
certificate, second class; salary paid teacher,! $145.80 (without board)
per annum; length of time schood was kept open during the year,
six months. The school-house was a rented frame building, contain-
ing one room. Amount of legislative grant, $72.90; amount of
other receipts, $12.00; total receipts, $84.90. From such a small
beginning has arisen the extended and efficient system of public
Echools within the county.
At this period of school history. in Canada West a certain amount
of latitude was permitted in regard to what textbooks might be
used in teaching, as uniformity was not provided for; those most
çommonly in use were the Irish National Readers and Arithmetic.,
IThe amounts are here given in dollars and cents for the convenience
of the reader, inst('ad of in Halifax currency, as' they appear in the
report.
159
lliO
THE FIRST SCHOOLS
Lennie's Grammar, .Morse's Geography, and a spelling-book published
in Canada.
'rhe following year witnessed an increase within the county of
educational privileges and also in the number of pupils. The
Superintendent of Schools reports for the year 1852 three school-
houses, all log buildings. Two of these were built during the year.!
'rhese three schools were located, rC5pcl'tively, at Kincardine, South-
ampton and \Valkerton.
In January, 1852, a redistribution was made by the United
Counties Council of the districts to be supervised by the local super-
intendent;:; of education, and all of the counties of Huron and Bruce
were then formed into one di6trict. Mr. \ViUiam Rath received the
appointment of superintendent thereof. He was a painstaking
officer, but he found the work so heavy, on account of the extent
of territory in his district, that he resigned the position at the end
of the year. It was in this year that the first leyy of a municipal
f:quivalent to the legislative grant to public schools was made in the
county of Bruce. The amount so raised was $214.67.
On
Ir. Rath's resignation :Mr. "Villiam Gunn was appointed
local superintendent of education for the whole of the county of
Bruce, and performed the duties of his office over this large area
during 1853 and the following year. In 1855 the county was divided
for educational purposes into three districts, and two other gentle-
men were appointed along with }Ir. Gunn as local superintendents
of education, at a salary of $5.00 per school. The details of this
di \"Ísion of the county are as follows:
The Western District comprised the townships of Huron, Kin-
cardine, Bruce and Kinloss. The local superintemlpnt was Mr.
\Vm. Gunn.
The Northern District comprised the township:;: of Saugeen,
lSCHOUL STATISTICs.
lS:>2
Population of school age .......................... 32]
Attendance of pupils ...,......................... 183
Number of Schools, log buildings ............... 3.
Numb<'r of Schools, frame buildings .............. 0
Total number of
CllOOls ....................... 3
18.")3 1854
367 438
199 321
3 4
0 1
3 5
)1r. Gunn, in his report for 18.13. says: " Onl
' three s(' hoolhuubt.s in
the county at first sight seems disproportionate to the population, now
over 10,000. It must be remember('(l. however, that the county may be
said to be entirely destitute of roacl8, for. with the exception of the
Durham and Elora roads, of sectional roads we have not a mile."
LOCAL SUPERINTENDEXTs
161
Arran and Elderslie. The local superintendent was Rev. James
Hutchison, who was a IllisslOnary of the :Methodist Church to the
I ndians on the Sa ugeen Reserve.
The Eastern District comprised the townships of Brant, Carrick,
Uulross and Greenock. The local superintendent was
Ir. John
Eckford.
:Mr. Gunn retained his office until the end of 185t\, excepting
during the early part of 1t>57, when l\Ir. )Iatthew :McKendrick held
the office.
Rev. ::\Ir. Hutchison held office only during the year 1855. He
\\<lS succeeded by the Rev. James H. ::Mc:N aughton, who held the office
during the years 1856, 1857 and 1858.
)lr. John Eckford held office for sixteen and a half years, that
is, until the office of local superintendent of education was abolished
by statute in IS71, and the office of inspector of public schools insti-
tuted instead. )fr. Eckford was a most efficient officer, and the
reports of the School Committee of each succeeding County Council
refer in most complimentary terms to his work as superintendent
of schools.
The cost of erecting school buildings was one that many settlers
felt was almost beyond their powers, but the desire to have their
children educated constrained them to take action, so we find that
they contributed willingly of their time and also of their means, as
far as they were able, in the erection and completion of school-
houses; while in most instances the sites for rural schools were freely
find generously given by some settler.
It would not be satisfactory to pass over the early days of educa-
tional matters in the county with little more than a bare recital of
Fiatistics, It is, therefore, with pleasure that the writer is able here
to insert an upfinished fragment of a paper written by the late
Ir.
\Vm. Gunn on this subject. It is to be regretted that it ends so
abruptly. It is as follows:
"EDUCATIONAL )IATTERS I
THE E.\RLY SETTLE)[EKT OF THE
COUNTY OF RmJCE.
"The first local Superintendent of Schools in Bruce was the
late )[r. 'Vm. Rath, of the County of Huron, local :--:uperintendcnt
of that County.! Finding it impossible to attend to the duties of
IMr. Gunn is in error here in thinking that Mr. Rath was the first
Superintenòent of 8('ho018. JT{' "as t11{' sl'(>OIH1-Author.
7
lö
\\')[. GUNN'S PAPER ON SCHOOLS
the office extending over such a wide range of country, he resigned
the Superintendency for Bruce in December, 1852, and in January,
1853, without his knowledge or consent, :Mr. Gunn, now of \Yalker-
ton, was appointed local Superintendent for the County of Bruce.
There were at that time only three schools in the whole County, one
at Kincardine, one at Southampton, and one in \Valkerton. These
had to be visited twice a year, and the only mode of locomotion was
on foot, the road often for long distänces being indicated simply
by the surveyor's blaze, very few miles of roads having been opened
in the County. The traveller in those days, in addition to a few
necessary articles of toilet, found it very convenient to carry a
moderate supply of crackers and cheese in his wallet slung over his
shoulders, of which he could partake at noon by the side of some
clear creek or spring. The settlers, however, were hospitable in the
highest degree, and readily shared their humble meal with the travel-
ler when he happened to come along at meal-time. The quality of
the potatoes was always good, the salt excellent, and there was
always bread and tea to be had, but fresh meat was a rarity for
several years.
"In 1853 and 185-1 considerable progress was made. Settlers
were coming in freely and the population of the County rapidly
increasing, the erection of school-houses was not neglected. The
people, as a rule, did wonderfully considering their circumstances,
and large were the demands made upon their muscles and purses in
moving into this then wilderness country and making a beginning
in e1earing the forest and erecting places to dwell in.
"The school sections in the whole County were laid out about 1853
by the local Superintendents, the Municipal Clerk, :Mr. C. R. Barker,
Dnd the Councils of the Townships, as these came into existence,!
and so well was this done that very few changes were found necessary
afterwards.
"For several years the whole County had only one Reeve or
representative in the United Counties Council of Huron and Bruce.
This was the Reeve of Kincardine Township, but as the population
and settlement increased, Reeves multiplied, and our voice became
stronger at the Council Board. To the credit of the Reeves of the
County of Huron it 'must be said that they were always most fair
and considerate in all municipal action toward the pioneer settlers
of Bruce.
"In 1854, as schoolS began to multiply outside of the triangle
formed by Kincardine, Walkerton and Southampton (and as the
absence of roads in many places enhanced the difficulty and fatigue
lExcepting Kincardine, there were 110 township councils - until 1854..
-
\.uthor.
GAELIC BOARD OF TRLSTEE
16;j
of travelling on foot), :Mr. Gunn got the County Council to divide
the County into three districts, East, Korth and \Vest. The late
Mr. Eckford, of Dunkeld, was appointed local Superintendent of
the Eastern District, composed of Brant, Carrick, Culross and
Greenock; Rev. J. H. :McNaughton of the Northern District, com-
posed of Arran, Elderslie and Saugeen, Mr. Gunn retaining in the
\Vestern District Bruce, Huron, Kincardine and Kinloss. These
gentlemen's duties commenced in 1855.
"In 1856 considerable progress had been made in the erection
of school-houses ready for opening in 1857. The Legislative grant
had increased to $1,325.00, being an increase over 1855 of $1,053.00.
The apportionment of Townships is not given in the Chief Super-
intendents Heport. The Rate Bill in the County amounted to
$603.50. The total expenditure for schools, $8,872.40. The total
number of children attending school in 1856 was 1819, being an
increase over 1855 of 985. The number of teachers in 1856 was 19,
of whom 12 were males and 7 were females. The highest salary
was $500 (paid by Kincardine) and the lowest $200. Of the 18
school-houses open in 1856, 5 were of stone, 2 of brick and 11
were of logs. Of those schools, 8 were opened and closed with
prayer, in 10 of them the Bible - and New 'l'estament were used.
Ten or twelve new school-houses were finished in 185'6, ready for
use in 1857.
"From this time on the progress made in all matters educational
was very great and very satisfactory, culminating in the ample school
accommodation and the thorough equipment for educational pur-
poses of the present day. with a numerous staff of thoroughly
trained teachers of the highest attainments. The old dark, dismal log
school-house has everywhere given place to comfortable, commodious
buildings, well lighted, well ventilated and well furnished.
"Perhaps no new settlement in Canada was ever more highly
favored than the County of Bruce in the class of men composing
the pioneers of the County. The early School Trustees and muni-
cipal Councillors of the County were men of gencrous minds and
liberal ideas, many of them being men of excellent educational
standing.! They laid the foundations broad and deep, as circum-
tanf'P
would permit, of the eduf'.ational system which now rcflects
so much credit on the County of Bruce, the youngest county in
Ontario.
JThis remark of :Mr. Gunn's no doubt was correct in the great majority
of ca!'!es, but some Board!'! of Trustees did not come up to this st'tnilard,
for in his report for IS:i(j he says: " He had sometimes to traTI!
act busi-
ness with a Rchool Roard in Gaelic. as none of the Roar<l were able to
speak F.ngli!'!h.' '-Author.
16-t
FEMALE TEACHERS IN DEMAND
"In his report to the Chief Superintendent for 1852
Ir. Hath
says: 'Speaking generally of the County of Bruce, I must do so in
the highest praise of the efforts of the people in favor of the estab-
lishment of schools. 1'heir exertions in this respect will bear fa vor-
able comparison with older counties, and this, too, in the very
infancy of their settlement, and while many of them have had pri-
vations and hardships of no ordinary character to endure and diffi-
culties of no ordinary character to encounter.'
" At a later date, in 1856,
Ir. Eckford in his report says: · )Iuch
has been done; in nearly every section progress has been made.
'Vhen I consider, however, that the settlers have in general exhausted
their funds in the purchase and improvement of lands, and in sup-
porting their families before they obtained an adequate return from
the soil, and also that the municipal and school taxes are heavy,
that the home market is nearly closed, with no outlet for surplus
produce, I feel that it would be injudicious to urge them to further
exertion. In the face of all this, however, the increase would have
been doubled but for the want of suitable teachers:
"Rev. J. H.
IcX aughton reports six schools in Arran, all
opened for the first time in 1856, and Elderslie one school.
"In his report for 1856
Ir. Gunn says: 'The want of a better
supply of efficient teachers is very greatly felt throughout this
county. We find it impossible to meet the demand and to a great
extent the standard of qualifications, although meeting the present
requirements of the law, which is lamentably low Steady young men
who intend following the profession of teaching, having matrimony in
contemplation, or married men with small families, would find in
these new settlements very favorable inducements to remove hither.
I would particularly mention the facilities which exist for acquiring
a little property, and the satisfaction of possessing a permanent
home at a trifling outlay, without in any way interfering with their
professional vocations. Such persons may with safety be recom-
mended at least to visit this County.
" 'In the early years of the settlement of the County, in conse-
quence of the tender age of the majority of the children of the
pioneers, female teachers were in great demand, their services being
generally preferred, and their success in teaching most satisfactory;
but it was very generally found that just as soon as an efficient female
teacher with her three or four years' experience was becoming of
great usefulness in her profession, some keen-eyed young pioneer,
on matrimony intent. came along, and without consulting the school
a1:1.thorities, carried her off to adorn his shanty in the bush, leaving
LOCAL SUPERI
TEXDEXTS
165
her place to be filled by some young and inexperienced member of
the sex.'"
It is much to be regretted that :JIr. Gunn's paper ends at this
point. If he wrote more, the subsequent pages of his manuscript have
b(en lost-a loss from an historical point of view not easily to be
c(.mputed, as no one was better qualified than he to write on this
subject.
It will be in place here to give a list of the local superintendents
of education and inspectors of public schools in the county of Bruce
down to the present day.
In the foregoing, the names of the local superintendents to the
end of 1858 have been given for all the districts, and it has also been
stated that
Ir. Eckford remained in charge of the Eastern District
until June, 1871. To this district there were added the townships
of Elderslie and Saugeen for the years 1864 and 18'{I inclusive,
excepting that for the year 1868 only, Saugeen was united with Arran
in a separate district, as is related later on.
The \Vestern District was under the charge of the Rev. \Valter
Inglis as local superintendent for the years 1859, 1860 and 1861.
and of the Rev. \Vm. Fraser, who held the office for the years 1862
to 1867, inclusive. For part of 1868 the Rev. A. J\IcKay was local
superintendent, and on his resigning during the year, Dr. De \Vitt H.
l\lartyn was appointed, and fillcd the office until the end of 1869,
being succeeded in 1870 by the .Rev. John :Ferguson. In January,
1871, the township of Bruce was set apart as a separate district, over
which the !lev. J. ....\nderson acted as local superintendent, while
Dr. D. A. ,rcCrimmon filled the same office over the remaining part
of the Western District. On the establishment of a grammar school
at Kincardine, in the year 1860, Mr. Alexander Shaw was appointed
local superintendent for the village. How long after 1860 he retained
the offil'e is not very clear from any available records.
The X orthern District was under the local sUI)('rintendC'ncy of
the Hev. K. '[cLennan in 1859 and 1RhO, of F. II. L.
taunton in
l
(ìl, and of Dr. 'V, S. Scott in 1862. In ]Slì:) this district was
split up, and for that year only a separate school district was formed
of the townships of ì"angcpu ana EldC'l"slic, the Hev. '[I'. \r aters being
local sup('rintellflent, but for the next eight Y(',H5 th('
e Ì\\ 0 town-
ships were unitpcl to ,fro Eckford's district. For the year lR(\3 the
tcwn
hir
of
\TTnn, ...\lIIahl'1 1111(}
\lhcmarle wC're fornwd into a
166
INSPECTORS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS
school district, the local superintendent being Dr. E. Hawksworth ,
who held the office for both 1863 and 1864. In 1865 ß1r. William
Bull was appointed local superintendent for the towru;hips of Amabel
and Albemarle, which position he held until the abolishing of the
office in June, 1871. During the last six months of :Mr. Bull's
duties, Eastnor was included in his district. In 1865 the township
of Arran was set apart as a separate district, and Dr. E. Hawksworth
placed over it as local superintendent. He died during the year and
was succeeded by Dr. W. S. Francis, who held the office until the end
of 1867. In 1868, Arran and Saugeen were formed into a separate
district, over which the Rev. A. Tolmie presided as local superin-
tendent. Arran in 1869 again became a separate district, and Dr.
Vol. S. Francis was once more the local superintendent. He was
succeeded in 1870 by the Rev. R. S. Cooper, who remained in office
until June, 1871.
On the 15th of February, 1871, the Legislature passed an Act l
which abolished the office of local superintendent of education and
provided instead inspectors of public schools. The County Council,
at the following June session, divided the county into two districts,
Eastern and Western, and appointed Richard V. Langdon as inspec-
tor over the Eastern District and Benjamin Freer over the Western
District, at salaries of $5.00 per school and $2.00 additional for
expenses. The number of schools in the county at this time was
slightly over 130 in all. :Mr. Langdon held office for two years and
a half, when (December lIth, 1873) Mr. W. S. Clendening wa
appointed. He was succeeded by :Mr. John .JlcCool, April 1st,
1906. :Mr. Freer held office until the January session of the
County Council in 1877. He was succeeded by :Mr. Alexander
Campbell, who held office until April, 1902, when Mr. W. I. Chisholm
was appointed as inspector of public schools for West Bruce.
At the June session, 1861, of the United Counties Council it was
decided that a Board of Public Instruction for examination of
teachers, etc., be established in Bruce. This decision was carried
out, and the Rey. R. C. ::\IotIatt was the first appointed secretary.
The first detailed school statistics of common schools in the
county of Bruce that the author has met with are those for the year
1855. They are here given, and to indicate the process of develop-
ment, tho;:;e for 1863 are given in part also:
134 Yic. Chap. 33.
IXCHE_\SE I
SCHOOLS 167
FOR THE YE-\R IS:I':;. FOR THE ì E-\R
I St}:
.
dlOOI lluildings
ch()ol Atten- Rehool Atten-
Buildings.
Frame. Log. Total. Population. dance. Tutal Xo. dance.
Tp. of Alhcmarle. . . 1
" Amabel .... 1 J.t
" Arran ..... . .10 11 3.")u
" Brant ... . 3 4- 3:!t) 161 11 4-:
0
" HI"uce ..... . ,")0 I:! :
,J,
" Carrick .: } { 1
31)
Culross 51 !I :!13
" Eldm'slie . . . 511 10 HIli
" (
recnock. . . . :! 2 :!tlS 119 8 :!4-1
" Huron. . , . , 1 1 :!34 5H 8 :!:
J
" Kincardine. . :
4 3411 2,1 !I 41Îli
" Kinloss ... . I 1 :!:{H :!!) !I :
HI
" :O;allgcen ., . :! :
!lO 1!IS Ii :!,")Ii
Totals. . . . . . . . IJ 2,787 ::)34 lUS 338::)
:Kumoer of f;chool buildings crf'cteù during the year 18,")'). .,. ....
" free school " " " "" 7
partly free SdIOO}s " 5
schools at 2,")c. rate hill per month.... . . 2
TC'lchcrs-1 first-class, 'i bccolJ(l-c]ass. 4 third-class, :r nnlptalified.
The following extracts from the reports of the local superin-
tendents of education will serve to give an idea of educational matters
subsequent to the date referred to in
Ir. Gunn's paper and prior
to the appointment of inspectors. In 1857 Superintendent
Ic:K augh-
ton reports that" The township of Elderslie has done admirably in
the way of school building during the past year. Although the newest
of thc three townships undcr my charge, it is now the first with
regard to school-houses. This may be attributed in a great measure
to the wisdom of the Township Council in offering a certain sum of
money to each section on condition that the school-house would be
erected within the year. The result is that there is not now a single
section without a school-house."
Rev.
fr. Fraser, local superintendent of the \Vestern District,
writes, ,fay, 1867: "In a number of our schools pleasing progress
is being made in book-keeping, mensuration, algebra and geometry,
f:O that the advanced state of the schools will soon force all the third-
dass teachers to retire."
1[T. .T. Eckforù says, in June, 1867: "It affords me much pleasure
to be able to state that the schools under my supervision are, "ith
few exceptions, in a prMperons conòition. This is to a great e\:tent
168
SCHOOL ACT, 1b71
to be attributed to the teachers, who, both in scholarnhip and in the
art of instruction, are generally very superior to their predecessors
of some years ago. The school attendance over my entire district
is becoming very large, partly from the increase of population, and
also because the children are coming out better and attending more
regularly. One section has a senior and a junior school, and in
another the master has the services of an assistant."
Rev. J. Ferguson reports, December, 187'0, as follows: "Consid-
ering the newness and remoteness of a good many school sections, the
ill-judged selection of trustees in many cases, the employment of
poorly qualified, because cheap, teachers, and the inability of some
sEctions to build and equip good schools and otherwise to hold out
inducements to both teachers and scholars, there are yet many
Encouraging features connected with schools in this new county.
Some of the school-houses are first-class and a considerable number
of the teachers are an honor to their profession."
"The Common and Grammar School Act of 1871" marked the
beginning of important changes in both of those classes of schools.
All common schools became free public schools, and every child from
seven to thirteen years of age, inclusive, was declared to have the
legal right of attending some public school. The assessment and col-
lection of public school rates was by these acts transferred from the
trustees to the municipalities. County inspectors wit_h larger powers
and duties were substituted for local superintendents. In place of
" County Boards of Public [nstruction," "County Boards of Exam-
iners " were established for the examination and licensing of teachers,
and county grammar schools became high schools. It might appear
as if these changes were of name only; this would be an incorrect
view, for with the changed name the scope, regulations and duties of
each were also changed and enlarged. In 187'7', by further legisla-
tion, the Education Department was empowered to arrange with
trustees for "constituting one or more of the public schools to be
the county model school for the preliminary training of public school
teachers}' The above legislative changes in educational matters
remain practically in force to the present day.
The standing of education in our public schools under the present
system of Inspectorate may be best referred to by extracts from some
of the annual reports of the inspectors, as follows:
R. V. Langdon, inspector of public schools for East Bruce, in
.1anuary, 1812, reports that under the School Act, two examinations
REPORT
OF INSPECTORS
IG9
of candidates for teachers' certificates had been held and out of
ninety-six applicants, only thirty-two obtained certificates. "It is
thought," he goes on to say, "by some that the failure of so man)'
candidates is owing to the introduction of new subjects, but this is
not the case, as the majority of failures were in the subjects of spell-
ing, reading, writing, arithmetic and English grammar."
W. S. Clendening, inspector of public schools for East Bruce,
in June, 1877, reports the total expenditure in his district in 1874
to have been $46,400, and in 1876, $56,400. That the number of
school-houses in 1874 were 73, and in 1876 there were 82. Of this
latter number, 19 were brick, 11 were stone, 42 were frame, and 10
were log buildings. Also that in 1871 there were 7,62-1: pupils on
the school registers, and in 1876 there were 8,432. This latter
number of pupils were taught by 90 teachers; of these 18 held second-
class certificates, 68 third-class certificates, and 4 held permits.
A. Campbell, inspector of public schools for \Vest Bruce, in
December, 1877, reports 88 schools in his district (not including the
town of Kincardine), and says: " Progress has been made during the
year, although the schools taken as a whole are far from being as
efficient as I should like to see them," and further on says, " Reading
and spelling, which may be considered among the most important
subjects of the programme of studies, were taught in a wretched
manner in a large majority of the schools; indeed, ] may say that
they were almost entirely neglected. For instance, I may mention
the fact that out of forty-C'ight candidates for admission to the Kin-
cardine high school who came up from different parts of the county
at the July examinations, only five passed, and nearly aU the rejected
candidates failed in spelling."
In 1885 Inspector \V. S. Clendening says, after speaking of the
number who had passed the entrance examination, and the high
standing of some of the schools in his Inspectorate: "This record is
strong evidence that the schools of East Bruce are quite ahreast of
the times and doing a work of which they need not feel ashamed."
In the same year Inspector A. Campbell, in 'Vest Bruce, expresses
his satisfaction at the progress that was made during the year.
The opportunity to obtain a good elementary education has from
the first been the privilege of pupils attending the public schools of
Bruce. This stateITIl'nt applies more especially to the last quarter
of a century, as a result of the higher .standard of teaching then
demanded. 1'he educational po
ibilitie
of the C'ar1y days were much
170
HUMOR IN THE SCHOOL-ROO)I
enlarged when advanced clas
es were established in many schools in
response to a much-felt need, existing in districts lacking high school
privileges. The Legislature gave an impetus to this movement when,
in 1891, a grant (to be supplemented by the County Council) was
made to such public schools as conduct a "leaving examination."
A change in the regulations regarding such was made in 1896, by
authorizing the establishment of "continuation classes," the Legis-
lative grant-and the county equivalent thereto-being $100, $50,
$25, or $15, according to grade. The number of such cl3ßses in the
various grades in the county in 1905 was 3, 1, 4 and 6, respectively.
That good work is done in these continuation classes is evidenced
by the fact that a Chesley schoolboy1 captured a scholarship at the
1903 departmental examinations, standing fourth among the pupils
of the whole province then examined. This is the first time in the
history of departmental examinations that a scholarship has fallen
to any public school scholar. All honor to the boy from Bruce.
This chapter has woven into it much of mere facts which,
although interesting, may to some form somewhat dry reading, so
laying aside for the time being school law, inspectors, schools and
classes, we shall, for the purpose of brightening up the chapter, let
some of the scholars who have studied in our schools step to the front
and speak for themsehes. That this might be vividly done, a teacher
who possesses a deep appreciation of humor, and who has taught
many years in the county, was asked by the author to furnish some
reminiscenses of the school-room, who, consenting, has supplied the
following, for which the reader will no doubt be as grateful as the
author.
"Hr:MOR IN THE SCHOOL-ROO)!.
"The following may be given as a few of the amusing answers
actually given by school boys and girls of Bruce, some of them culled
from examination papers, others given orally:
'" From what animal do we get beef?' asked the teacher of a
primary class. 'The butcher,' was the ready answer of one of the
little ones.
" 'Into how many parts is the day divided?' 'Three, breakfast,
dinner and supper.'
" A teacher giving a lesson on the proper use of the words' bring'
lR. c. Ua1liday, son of Robert Halliday. The value of the scholarship
was $.")0 in cash and free tuition in Toronto University for four years,
2imounting to $195 in all.
REPLIES :MADE BY SCHOLARS
171
and 'fetch,' asked this question: 'If the cows were in a field and I
wanted the dog to go after them, what would I be likely to say to
the dog?' 'Sic 'em!' said the boy.
,. Here are some of the answers given to the question: 'How do
you know that the earth is round?' 'The earth is round, because if
it wasn 1 you'd fall off when you came to the end.' Another still
more original was, 'The earth rolls round the sun; a square thing
can't roll, therefore the earth must be round.'
"Another answer as to the shape of the earth: 'The earth is
rounù like an orange, flat at both ends. \Vhen it \Vas first made it
was round like a ball, but it has been spinning so fast for such a
long time that it has wore flat at the two ends.'
" , ""'hat is the capital of a country?' '\Vhere the jail is.' '\Vhat
is n republic?' 'A place where they all elect themsel Yes.'
., Here are some rather astonishing historical facts:
" , John did not want to sign the Charta, but the barns said he
had to, all the same.'
'" :Mary Queen of Scots married the Dolphin of France before
she was beheaded.'
" 'Charles 1. met his doom without a flinch.'
." \Vho appoints the Governor of Canada?' 'The Pope,' said
one. ':JIr. Cargill,' said another.
" , It was vcry difficult for \Yilliam Lyon :MacKenzie to escape to
the rnited
tates, becau
e 1,000 lbs. was put on his head.'
" 'The British searched American ships for deserters. The
Americans looked so like themselves that they could not tell which
to arrest.'
" '\\hat is a mummy?' asked the teacher. '
\ cured man,'
replied a boy. 'Cured of what?' queried thc teacher. '
ot that
kind of cureù, cured so hc'd keep,' was the answer. \nother answer:
'A stuffed man.'
" 'Tlw foe was sullenly firing.' '\fhy sullenly?' 'Because
they'd just been licked,' said a boy, who doubtless could easily imagine
their feelings.
.. l'hf' qUf'stion, '(: ive in your own words this quotation from
"The Brook." "I lingC'r by my shingly hal's." elicitcd the following
from one of the girls, ' r stay about the old frame hotel.'
" '\Yhat is the differencp bf'twcen "discover" and "invent"?'
'DisC'owr i
to fincl sompthing tlult was there an the time. Invent
i3 to find
omething that npn'r wa
tllf're before.'
172
:MODEL SCHOOLS
" 'What is the masculine gender of witch?' 'Bachelor.' '\Vhat
is the feminine gender of bachelor?' 'Widow.' 'The masculine of
duchess?' , Dutchman.' 'The feminine of monk?' , :!'t1onkey.'
, For what do these letters stand: "B.A."?' 'Before Adam,' 'Begin
Again,' 'Bachelor of Adversity.' '" D.D." stands for" Dry Dock." ,
"In a school in Kinloss was a little boy who would persist in
saying' have went.' The teacher kept him in one night and said,
'N ow, while I am out of the room you may write" have gone" fifty
times.' When the teacher came back he looked at the boy's paper,
and there was, 'Ha ve gone fifty times.' On the other side was
written, 'I have went home.' "
In 1877 two model schools were esbtalished, one at Walkerton
and the other at Kincardine. In his report of that year, l\Ir. Camp-
bell speaks hopefully of them, and says that there were, in that the
opening year, thirteen pupils in attendance at Walkerton and four-
teen pupils at Kincardine. Speaking again in 1885, he says: "j..
great deal of the improvements that have taken place in our schools
during the last few years can be traced to the efficiency of our model
schools and to the beneficial effects of attendance at teachers' asso-
ciations." The county can point with pride to these two model
schools. The training imparted therein to the future teachers
throughout the county has been of the very best, and reflects credit
upon the various principals who have been at the head of them since
their establishment. There is no doubt that to them is largely due
the success which has of late years marked the imparting of instruc-
tion in our public schools. 1
The initial step in the way of higher education for the youth
of the county of Bruce was the establishment in 1860 of a county
grammar school, which was located at Kincardine. This was after
several years of agitation, the first petition to the County Council
to establish. such a school being made in June, 1857. The first Board
of Trustees had as its members Rev. K. ::\IcLennan, of Paisley;
William Gunn, of Inverhuron; and Rev. \Valter Inglis, Rev. Isaac
:Uiddleton, Alex. Shaw and l\Iatthew :McKendrick, of Kincardine.
It
fir
t meeting was on 18th ::\Iarch, 1860. The duties of this Board
differed somewhat from High School Boards of the present day. An
tprior to 1877 the Board of Examiners issued third-class certificates, and
the Inspector permits to teach for which it was not required to possess
professional training. '
COUNTY SCHOLARSHIPS
173
inspection of the minutes show that committees were appointed to
select books, to examine the pupils and grade the classes, and to
in\estigate cases of misconduct. The pupils' fee was fixed at $2.00
quarterly. The first principal,
Ir. Albert Andrews, filled the posi-
tion in a most satisfactory manner for six or seven years. In 1890,
S. 'V. Perry, B.A., was appointed principal of this school, and has
retained the position since, filling the duties of the position most
successfully. For twelve years Kincardine rejoiced in possessing the
only grammar school in the county. Considering this circumstance,
the County Council felt justified in the years 1870.and 1871 in grant-
ing $150 and $100 respectively, as scholarship prizes, an attraction
for bright, earnest scholars not now offered at any school in the
(;ounty. That an idea may be had as to the manner in which the::;e
amounts were allocated, the names of the successful competitors
for these scholarships at the December, 1871, examination are here
given: John Collwell, value $15; Archena :McDougall, $10.00; Robert
Boal, $8.00; Alexander Baird, $7.00; Sarah Harvey, $5.00. The
names of those who carried off the prizes in the June or other exam-
iuations the writer has not been able to obtain.
The Act passed by the Provincial Legislature in February, 1871,
"to improve the common and grammar schools," gave the County
Council extended powers as to the formation of high school districts.
V arious local municipalities within the county being desirous of
taking advantage of privileges now attainable, petitioned the County
Council at the January session, 1872, requesting to be established as
high school districts. The Council complied with these petitions and
passed at that session" A by-law to establish five high school dis-
tricts in the county of Bruce." The places therein named were
Kincardine, 'Valkerton, Paisley, Port Elgin and Southampton.
These municipalities were thereby authorized to establish a high
school, bl1Ì it was a privilege that three of the five named munici-
palities did not avail themselves of, owing, no doubt, to the increase
cf taxation involved. Kincardine already possessed a high school;
of the other four places the ratepayers of Walkerton alone were
willing to bear an increase of taxation for the advantages and privi-
lege of possessing a high school in their town. The following com-
prised the first Board of \r alkerton High School Trustees:
Iessrs.
,T. J. King
miI1, ..Tohn
[cLay, Alexanòer
proat, J. G. Cooper, Paul
Hoss and Alexander Shaw. The first tcacher to preside ovcr this
C"hool was Arnoldus ){il1er, B..\.. This
chool, by special permission
174
HIGH SCHOOLS
granted by the Superintendent of Education, was allowed to open
without any assistant teacher. It was not long, however, before
tLssistants were secured, one after another, as necessity arose,
until the staff of the \Valkerton High School became sufficient to
ntitle it to rank as a collegiate institute, a position that it will, in
the near future, no doubt, attain to. Joseph :JIorgan, :JI.A., has
been principal of this school since 1881.
The high schools at Kincardine and \Valkerton remained for
many years the only ones in the county, other municipalities being
apparently apathetic in the matter of higher education. The first
eyidence of a move in that direction was when Paisley sent a depu-
tation, in 1886, to wait on the County Council, with the request that
that village and neighborhood be set apart as a high school district;1
but the deputation failed to convince the Council that it was advis-
able to make any increase in the number of high schools in the county.
rrhe following year a similar deputation from Port Elgin was more
successful, and despite a strong opposition, a by-law was passed .J une
10th, 1887, establishing Port Elgin as a high school district. This
H:hool was opened in the fall term of 1889 with 75 names on the
roll, :JIr. J. T. Lnlie, B.A., being the head master. The attendance
rose to 153 in 1891, which figure has not been exceeded since. :Mr.
Lillie continued to the end of 1904 in the head mastership. The
high percentage of the successful pupils of this school who wrote
at the departmental examinations speaks well as to his qualifications
for the post he held for so many years. :Mr. J. C. Clark is the present
head ma:-:ter of this schoo1.
The agitation for additional high schools in districts not already
proyided once more came before the County Council in June, 1891,
Paisley and 'Viarton being the municipalities applying. Again
Paisley failed to obtain the consent of the Council, \Viarton carry-
ing off the coveted privilege, and by by-law passed June 6th, 1891,
was established as a high 5chool district, and in the beginning of the
following year the school was opened under the head mastership of
T. H. Farrell, who was succeeded by Henry De La Mater. For some
time the school accommodation was not all that the Department of
Education required, but any deficiencies in this respect are now at
an end, as the new school building, opened in 1896. is fully abreast
lThe good people of Paisley then, and again in 1891, as well as the
Co
mty Council, secm to have forgotten the by-law mentioned in a fore-
gomg paragraph. That mad" Paislcy the centre of a high school district,
which by-law is ullrcpealell. .
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
173
of all requirements. The next place to obtain a high school was
Chesley. This high school was opened in 1
0-!, R. D. )lc
Iurchy
being the head master, he being succeeded by Henry Bonis.
The cause of education within the county of Bruce ha:; had an
e-xcellent auxiliary in the free and public libraries scattered through-
out its municipalities, in the number of which Bruce is the leading
county in Ontario, having twenty-five in alP Besides these, there
are thirteen rural school libraries, all situated in the \Vest Bruce
inspectorate. The localities where the public libraries are situated,
with the number of volumes on their shelves, are to be found in a
footnote 2 ; the figures given are from the report of the 'Iinister of
Education for the year 1903. It is impossible to estimate the educa-
tional and intellectual uplift derived by the public having access to
55,000 books of select, pure, good literature. That the opportunitie
offered have been made use of the large number of members of the
stveral libraries testify. Another pleasing feature about the public
libraries in Bruce is that a number of them are situated in purely
1 ural or semi-rural localities. The first library established in the
county, as far as the writer is aware, was one at Inyerhuron in 1856,
which commenced with a total of 39 volumes. From such a modest
hf'g-inning has developed the present numerous and well-equipped
library system of the county. The writer was honored by heing made
the first librarian of the public library established at Kincardine
(this was in the spring of 1861), he being expected to perform the
duties without any recompense beyond tllP fact of knowing that he
was helping on a good work. The number of volumes placed in his
charge were under two hundred. This library has grown to be the
largest in the county, and number;s now over -!,500 volume:-:. Hugh
Black, who \Vas its painstaking librarian for many Yf'ars, ha
lately
passed away.
IOn ])('('em her
1st, 19(13.
2List of Puh]ic and Frf'e Libraríés in the (,olmty, December 31st, 1903.
Thosf' that arc fre(' arc markNl with an astf'risk.
Bervie (Vo]s. 1.6.:>4); Cargill < Vo18. 1.!)3
); Chcpstow{' (Vols. 3
3);
Ches]py* (Vols. 1,9
;
); Elmw80d (Vo]s. G.,)7); Glammis (Vols. 4-16); Hcp-
\\orth (Vols. 1,011); Ho]yrood* (Vo]s. 2,1;")1); Kincardine <\TO]S. 4.5;")
);
Lion's Hearl (Vols. 1,102); Lucknow (Vo]s.
,224); 'rildma:,' (Vo]s.
2,073); Paisley* (Vols. 4,232); Pinkf'rton (Vo]s. 1,1ì05); Port Elgin (Yols.
3,1
7); Ripley (Vo]s. 1.72/); RiHrsl1a]e (Y 0]8. 92
); Southampton (Yols.
4;j1l
); TCf'sw")tf'r (Vt)]s. 3,
li:J); Tara* (Yo]s. 2,009); ']'ivNton (Vols.
1.910); rndprwood (Vols. 2..)S
): \Ya]kerton (Vols. 3,
;)9); \\'('stforl1*
< Vols. 1.123); \Vim.ton* (Yols.
..ï9(j). The total number of vo]umNI is
5,:>,
3.
17G
PROGRESS DV RING FIFTY YEARS
In bringing this chapter to a close it might be well to summarize
and show what half a century has wrought for the cause of educa-
tion in the county of Bruce. The first school in the county was opened
in the summer of 1851 with sixty-six pupils; fifty years later this
solitary centre of learning had developed and multiplied, as is set
forth in the figures given in the report of the Minister of Education
for the year 1901, which are summarized as follows:
:!46 Public Schools, with .. .1
,614 pupils.
4 High Schools, having. . .. 480 "
2 :Model Schools, training. . :lS"
8 Separate Schools, with. . 735"
Receipts. . . .
133, i07 62
" 15 845 34
'790 00
S,Onl 56
260 schools.
1:l,H6i pupil!':. Receipts. . . . :-:158,344 52
The county of Bruce has no cause to think the money it has spent
so freely in the cause of education has been wasted. Her young
people have been fitted to enter the battle of life possessing the
advantages arising from a sound education. From her schools have
graduated many who now fill most prominent positions throughout
our wide Dominion, bringing honor to those who have in an enlight-
ened manner encouraged and maintained a high standard of education
in their mother county.
CHAPTER X.
THE JIILITIA AXD VOLUNTEERS OF BRUGE.
1857 -1906.
CAXADIAXS have a well-earned reputation for loyalty; its sin-
cerity, as well as their courage, they have exhibited time and again
by taking up arms in defence of their country and their homes. This
admirable spirit ha:; not been confined to a few localities, but is wide-
spread. That it has existed in the county of Bruce in a marked
degree is something to be proud of. On the several occasions during .
the last forty years when our land has been threatened with war,
invasion or rebellion, its young men have hastened to fill up the
ranks of the various volunteer companies which existed, or formed
new ones, cheerfully leaving their homes when ordered away to the
posts assigned them by the military authorities. Although it has
not been the fortune of our volunteers "to have endured" the baptism
of fire," they have manifested those characteristics which would have-
enabled them to have given a good account of themselves if called
upon to do so. They have realized that in time of peace we should
be prepared for war, and since 18Gl, when for the first time in the
history of this county the possibility of war was felt, one generation
after another of our young men have voluntarily sought to acquire
that knowledge of military drill and discipline which would enable
them to effectively aid in the defence of their native land.
The passing of the ":Mi1itia Act of 1855" put the militia of
Canada upon 311\ improvef1 basis. "This Act divided the militia into
two classes, sedentary and active. To the former only of these classes
did this Act apply in the county of Bruce, as no companies of active
militia were formed while it rrmained in force. The Act referred
to says: "The sedentary militia shall (with some few exceptions)
consist of all the male inhabitants of the age of eighteen and under
177
17b
SEDEXTARY
IILlTlA
sixty." These were divided into two classes, the service men, of aU
over eighteen years of age but under forty, and the reserve, who were
of forty years and upwards. In time of peace no actual service or
drill was required, "but they shall be carefully enrolled," and" the
Eervice men shall also assemble for muster annually, on the Queen's
birthday." The writer's first recollection of the Bruce militia was
the witnessing of one of these musters on the market square,
Kincardine, about the year 1857 or 1858.
Shortly after the passing of the Act above referred to, the county
of Bruce was divided, for militia purposes, into three battalion
divisions. This division lasted but a short time, a further diviswn
being made, which is detailed in the following extract from a general
order dated 26th February, 1837: "His Excellency the Governor-
General is pleased to direct that certain changes shall be made in
the limits of the three battalions of the militia of the county of Bruce;
and that three additional battalions shall be formed, to be styled
respectively the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Battalions of the militia of
the county of Bruce."
The 1st Battalion was under the command of Lieut.-Co!. Pl'yse
Clark, whose commission bears date of February 26th, 1857. He had
been an ot1icer in the British army, and was present at the battle
of "Taterloo. The next to obtain command of this battalion was
Lieut.-Co!. George Jardine. His commission was dated :May 6th,
1858. The following were the first to receive commis
ions as captains
of companies in this battalion:
\.. Roy, 'V. Smith, R. Reid, com-
missioned 10th August, 1857; F. H. Lynch, N. Hammond,! J. T.
lLieut.-CoI. BPlcher has possession of an historical docunwnt which is
of special interest to the old-timers of Southampton. This article bears
the heading. "Ron of Xo. 1 Company of the 1st Battalion of Bruce
Militia, for the year 185
. Limits of Company: All that portion of the
town plot of Southampton to tlw west of the centre of Victoria Street
and the part of the village lying north of the Sangeen River. The names
enrolled are as follows: X. Hammond, captain; .John Bastwood, 1ieutenant;
Robert Han, ensign; .Tohn Belclwr, .James Hibbert, ,Toseph Gilbert, ser-
geants; Richard )Idnnis, XciI
I('Lpod, Thomas Tallon, .\1 ex. Sproat.
.Tohn
IcXabb, Donald Campbell, William Wallace, James Hogg, George
Hamilton, Alex. Angus, Peter Angns. James
IcCabe, Donald l\IcPherson,
Robert Fur
', .Tames Calder, T. E. Davis, .Tames Kelly, AJex. McIntosh,
.J
mes McIntosh, \Yilliam l\Iuch, Samuel Baker, Edward Ferguson, Andrew
Laurie, Thomas Smith, Edward Kennedy, 'Villiam Chisholm. Alfred Ditton,
.Tames Peacock. .Tames Jack, James George, Thomas 'Vehster, Thomas
harp. Thomas :Montgomery, John Murray, Alex. Munro, Peter McGregor,
.Tames Fleming, J. D. Cathy, .Tames l\lason, Duncan Ross, Thomas .Adair,
.Tames Orr, Alex. Robertson, .John Spence, Barth Higgins. .Tohn Lee, Wm.
Rounding, W. S. Scott, M.D., Joseph Gilbert, Neil Campbell. Barber Fury
Chandler." Of thiR list of veterans it is known that twelve were alive in
1900, the remainder having gone to their reward.
MILITIA ACT, 18G8
170
Conway, T. Godfrey, D. :\IcKinnon, G. Buchart, commissioned 20th
October, 1858; P. Smith and T. Lee, commissioned 16th December,
1858.
The 2nd Battalion was under the command of Lieut.-Co!. John
\Villiam Linton. His early military experience had been gained in
Spain in the so-called Spanish Legion, fighting to uphold the claims
of Queen [sabella against Don Carlos.
The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions were commanded respec-
ti \ ely by Lieut.-Co!. Francis
L Berford, of Tara; Lieut.-Co!. John
Valentine, of Paisley; Lieut.-Co!. Robert Ross, an old navy officer,
who had been a midshipman in Nelson's day, a resident of Kincardine.
Dnd Lieut.-Co!. Joseph \ralker, of Walkerton.
1'he first decade in the history of the county was one undisturbt'd
by any thought of the possibility of war or invasion, and our militia
existed simply in the lists of enrolled service men and in the com-
missions held by those above mentioned, with others whose names
and rank have been largely forgotten. That the list of officers was
kept filled is evident to the writer by the examination of a couple
(If old commi:5sions he has met with, one, dated 18th )Iay, 181ìO,
signed by :::;ir Fen wick \Villiams, appointing George Goulù en
ign
in the 3rù Battalion,. the other, dated 5th December, 1862, signed b}
Lord )[onck, appointing him lieutenant in the same battalion.
\Vhen the excitement over the Trent affair arose, the officers and
non-commissioned officers of the militia in some places took advantage
of the presence of the drill instructors in our midst, sent by the
1 mperial Government to drill our volunteers, and formed themselves
into classes or companies for drill instruction. The writer, at that
time a sergeant in the 5th Battalion, remembers such a class existing
in Kincardine and being drilled by Sergt. 1IcGee, of the 63rd
n egiment.
In 1868 the )Iilitia Act was again amended. Thi
was followed
by a general ordcr which directed, "That the boundaries of regi-
mental divisions be idcntical with the electoral divisions into which
the PrO\ince of Ontario is divided." This general order was dated
19th January, 1869. The above had the result of placing the reserve
militia into the regimental divisions of the north riding of Bruce
and the south riding of Bruce. Tn the first of these the following
commissions were granted on 19th February, 1869: Lieut.-Co!.
.\ndrew Lindsay, Major John Gillies and )Iajor James Rowalltl. On
?2nd -:\f arch, lS()9. tlIp commÜ:
iong to the captain5: of companies
l
O
FIRST CO)IPANY OF VOLUXTEERS
were issued. They were to Co. 1, Robt. Scott; Co. 2,
L :!\.1cKinnon;
Co. 3, J. H. Coulthard; Co. 4, John :UcIntyre; Co. 5, James Stark;
Co. 6, Andrew Freeborn; Co. 7, James Allen. The officer now in
command is Lieut.-Co!. A. E. Belcher, who was gazetted as such
September 10th, 1896. In the regimental division of South Bruce
the following commissions were granted on 12th February, 1869:
Lieut.-Co!. J oseph Walker, Majors C. R. Barker and Alex. St. L.
Mackintosh. In August, 1875,
1:ajor Barker was gazetted as lieut.-
colonel, and until his death, in 1899, held that position. The com-
missions to the captains of companies were issued 9th April, 1869.
They were to Co. 1, Malcolm McLean; Co. 2, Geo. Harvey; Co. 3,
Pa ul Ross; Co. 4, John Phalen; Co. 5, James Johnston; Co. 6, Thos.
Bradley; Co. 7, Robert Johnston. Having brought the history of
the reserve militia down to the present time, we shall close what we
have to say of it with this wish, that at no time in the -future may
the necessity arise for it to assume more arduous duties than have
arisen in the past.
The outbreak of civil war in the United States in the year 1861
was followed by complications between that nation and Great Britain,
which was generally known as the "
Iason and Slidell difficulty,"
or "Trent affair." For a while it seemed as if the two nations were
to be embroiled in war. The possibility of this was enough to kindle
the fire of warlike enthusiasm in the breasts of the young men of
Canada. From end to end of the country companies of volunteers
were formed. The credit of taking the initiative in this matter
within the county of Bruce belongs to the village of Southampton.
A company was raised there under Captain Alex. Sproat 1 which was
authorized by general order tlated December 13th, 1861. 2 Kincard-
ine followed a year later and raised a company under Captain Alex.
IThe two subaltern officers of the company were Lieut. J". W. Ridden
and Ensign Alex. Sinclair.
2The reason why the village of Southampton had a company of volunteers
a. year before any other place within the county arose in this wise: The
annual muster of the militia on the Queen's Birthday was felt by many
in the 1st Battalion Bruce Militia to be a useless proceeding and they
refused to turn out. Lieut.-Co!. J"ardine had such as refused brought
before a magistrate, who promptly :fined them. To show that no base
motives had moved them in refusing to appear at the annual muster, they
and others forwarded a petition to the Minister of MiHtia, requesting
that an independent company of Volunteers be organized at Southampton,
and offering that if the Government would furnish arms they would provide
their own uniforms. This the Government held in abeyance, but on the
appearance of trouble at the time of the Trent affair the order authorizing
the formation of the company was issued. Sergeant Allerdyce of the
KIXCARDIXE CO)!PAXY
un
Shaw. This company was liuthorized December 19th, 186
. Paisley
followed close after and raised a company under Captain \Y. C.
Bruce, authorized January 2nd, 1863. Lucknow next fell into line
and raised a company under Captain :McDonald. Our rural popula-
tion was not les'S enthusiastic, and we find that Kincardine Town-
ship raised a company under Laptain \'ïlliam Daniel, which \Va::;
authorized February 6th, 1863.
The writer, who was a corporal in the Kincardine company at the
time of its formation, has preserved some memoranda, jotted down
at the time, which shows that the roll was signed December 5th, 1ö62.
The officers were elected at a meeting held December 13th. These
were Captain Alex. Shaw, Lieutenant J. Brownlee and Ensign Paul
D. l\IcInnes. The first drill was on December 18th, held in the town
hall; afterward the old furniture factory on Broadway was usen to
drill in. The first drill instructor was Sergeant .McLean of the 17th
regulars, ,\ ho finished his term of ten drills on January 2nd, 1863.
He "as succeeded by Sergeant :McGee, of the 63rd regulars. who
remained drilling the company for four months, commencing
Iarch
12th, UH.i3. The first drill with rifles was on February 21th. The
company was inspected by Brigade-)Iajor Barctto on
Iarch 16th.
The company paraded in full uniform for the first time on July
23rd, 1863. As there were a number of drill instructors provided
by the Imperial Government, and a determination was manifested
to get the various companies brought up to a thorough state of
efficiency at as early a date as possible, there is no douht that the
other companies in the county at that date would hm"e a somewhat
similar record to that here given of the Kincardine company.
The date of the formation of the other companies of volunteers
in the county may as well be given here, although fornH'ù at later
dates than the above-mentioned companies. These later ones were,
f'3 a rule. organizeù under the excitement of anticipated Fenian
raids. The company at Walkerton, under Captain John Chambers,
was authorized July 13th, 1866. The company at Tara, under Cap-
tain G. \V. Drinkwater. wa
formed and authorized at the balHe time
as the \Yalkerton company. rrhe company at )[ilòmay, under Captain
,T ohn P. Kay, was authorized May 10th, 1872. Teeswater at the
sanH' time raised a company, unùer Captain ...\rchibald Gillies, whif'h
regular army, a man who had seen much active sprvice, was sent to perform
the dutiC'R of drill inRtrl1ctor. The company stood high in point of effieicuey
amI C'arriC'II off the fourth pri7C' thC'refor in a C'omlwtition of all inllc-
pendpnt C'ompanil's within this militar.\' Ilistrid.
182
DRILL SHEDS
was authorized June 7th, 1872. In June, 1895, the headquarters
of the )Iildmay company was transferred to \Yiarton, and a company
was formed in that flourishing town, with Robert Lee Graham as
its captain.
As the drill of our citizen soldiers, as a rule, had to be performed
in the evenings, after the ordinary daily avocations of the members
of the corps were over, it was necessary to secure for each company
ome large, well-lit hall. The difficulty of finding suitable accommo-
dation was felt from the first, and applications for aid were made to
the several local municipalities and to the County Council. In 1862
the village council of Southampton granted $120 for this purpose,
and the County Council granted a like sum, followed by a further
grant of $200 in 1867. Under similar conditions Paisley received
120 in 1864 and $200 in 1867 from the County Council. The drill
shed at Paisley was erected in an unfortunately chosen situation,
for it became undermined by the river and had to be deserted, what
remained of it being sold in 1875 for $65. In 1868 Tara received
8'250 towards its drill shed from the County Council. Four years
later Teeswater also received a grant of a similar amount from the
County Council towards erecting a drill shed for its company of
,-olunteers formed that year. It W3;S not until 1885 that the Kin-
cardine company obtained any money from the County Council to
aid in providing accommodation for drilling. In that year the build-
ing formerly used as a place of worship by St. .Andrews' congregation
was for sale. The goyernment gave a grant of $300; the County
Council then made a grant of $125, and the purchase of the build-
ing was effected. The government subsequently granted $55 towards
making alterations. Since that time the Kincardine volunteers have
had ample accommodation.
At the time of the separation of the counties of Huron and Bruce,
there was a balance of $1,438.2'2 paid over to Bruce, this amount being
Bruce"s share of an unexpended grant to volunteers voted by the
-enited Counties Council in 1866. It was from this fund that the
aid to the various drill sheds was granted. It had been decided in
1867 that $800 of this money should go towards a drill shed for the
32nd Battalion at Walkerton. In 1869 it was decided to increase
this amount to $1.200. Subsequently an additional $120.80 for
extras was paid, making a total payment by the county of $1,320.80
towards this building. The township of Brant also contributed to
the extent of $300 towards its erection The construction of the
'-
FE
IAN RAID, 1866
183
building was gone on with during the summer of 1869, George
Haney being the contractor and James Benson, architect. Owing
to the granting of large sums by the government for repair::;, the
building was maintained in a good state of preservation until sold
in December, 1899, to Henry Clark, who pulled it down five months
afterward to re-erect it in another part of the town as a skating rink.
rrhe companies of volunteers which were first formed in the
county had two or three years to perfect themselves in drill before
they were called upon to leave their homes for active service, the
only change from the monotony of the weekly drill they experienced
being target practice anti Queen's birthday parades, which always
wound up with the firing of a feu de joie. If the rolls of these old-
time companies were examined, it would reveal the fact that in the
ranks were many men who were prominent in the community, in
fact, its leading citizens. There has been a falling off in this respect
of late years, but only because that in .. the piping times of peace .,
drilling seems to be too much like" playing soldier;' but if necessity
should again arise, the ranks of our volunteers would at once receive
as recruits a large contingent of men who at present say that they
have no time for such things.
Saturday, the 2nd of June, 1866, was a day of intense excitement
throughout our land, for on the day previous a large body of Fenians
had invaded Canada, landing at Fort Erie. As this news was tele-
graphed over the country, quickly followed by orders to the officers
in command of the various corps to muster the men under their
command and wait for marching orders, the seriousness of the occa-
sion was brought home to all; but the fact of the existence of a large
number of well-drilled volunteers to take part with the regulars in
repelling thf' invasion of our land was a source of solid comfort to
many.
There was a great uncertainty rcgarding the mo' el1lent
of thl':",
armed invaders and of those who purposed to follow thcir e-\
1l1lple
as occasion offered. Rumors of the massing of men to in\ ade Canada
at many different points were being circulated, and our troops wrre
for\\arded to the most exposed places on our borders. noderich was
contì(lent1y designated as a point where a detachment of Fenians
thf'n in Chicago intended to effect a landing in onl('r to obtain control
of the railway tE>rminus. ...\.cting on the probability of this being
donf', the 'ariou
,'olunteer companic5' in Huron and Bruce were
speedily (\<..:,pmh1c'd thrre to repulse any attack. The c()mpanie
there
184
VOLUNTEERS AT GODERICH
assembled were the Goderich artillery and rifle companies, and with
them the companies from Seaforth, Southampton, Paisley, Kin-
cardine Village and Kincardine Township. These remained in
Goderich for about four weeks, until the alarm had subsided, wheli
they returned to their homes, excepting the Goderich and Southamp-
ton rifle companies, which were sent on to Sarnia, or rather Point
Edward, where they remained until some time in .August, when any
danger of further disturbance was past.
A bare relation of the above facts conveys no idea of the excite-
ment existing in those days. The author is fortunate, therefore, in
being able to here give some reminiscences of Lieut.-Co!. .A. E.
Belcher, at that time drill instructor to the Southampton company.
and who was present with his company at Goderich and Point
Edward. He says: "Our company was called out and ordered to
embark at daylight next morning on the little steamer Bruce. There
were very few of us who slept any that night.
Iothers, wives and
friends were on the dock to say good-bye, and I can assure you the
women were not the only ones who had wet eyes that morning, for
we all expected to face the enemy and the fateful possibilities were
felt by all. At Goderich we were billeted at the hotels, our stay
there being marked by some stirring incidents. 'Ve had regular
drill, fatigue, guard and picket duty. Quite expecting to have vessel
loads of Fenians from Chicago attempt to land at, or near, the
harbor, we made preparations accordingly. 'Ve had a chain stretched
across its entrance, and earthworks for our cannon crowned the top
of the hill near Sheriff :UcÐonald's old residence. One day an alarm
was sounded, owing to the sighting in the offing of a vesse1 carrying
the long pennant of a man-of-war, and having the appearance of a
gunboat. The whole force assembled to prepare for what might
develop. "Ye felt assured that we had serious business on hand.
Some field works were hurriedly thrown up, the cannon were brought
into position, the men placed under whatever cover was available,
and all made ready to give a hot reception to the Fenians. As the
vessel drew nearer to the harbor she hoisted the Stars and Stripes,
and proved to be a United States gunboat, with General Sherman
and other officers of the United States Army on board, out on a
cruise. Of course we were glad the scare terminated as it did, but
it afforded talk for the boys for days. In case of a sudden alarm it
had been arranged that the town bells were to be rung as well as to
have the bugles sounded. One morning we were so awakened, and
THE EYE:
IY EX.PECTED
185
orders followed :;harply to turn out and fall in on the private parade
ground, as the Fenians were landing at Bayfield, some ten or twelve
miles away. How well I remember the excitement and confusion,
men tumbling out of bed and putting on garments belonging to
others, belts put on wrong side up or wrong side out, the bugles
sounding the assembly, and sergeants hurrJing up the laggard"5. .At
last the company was got into shape and we started for the market
square on the double, a pace several could not keep up and had to
fall out. On our arriving there we found other companies ahead
of us and more news of an alarming character from the point named.
'Ye formed up, and fifty rounds of ball cartridge were served out to
each man. Assisting in this I had an opportunity of noticing how
serious were the faces of some of the men. There was a man there
named Gregg, who, having a son in our company, had followed u,.:
to Goderich, and was on hand at that early hour to cheer and
encourage us. He went and bought a cheese and a large box of
biscuits, which he distributed among our men. In the rear of our
company a body of citizens had lined up, having armcd themselves
with guns, rifles, or any implement of war theJ could lay their hands
on,
o as to take part in the expected scrimmage. The Goderich com-
pany headed the march down the Bayfield road to the tune of ' 'Yhat
jolly dogs are we.' "r e had not gone far when we were halted and
found that the alarm had been a false one. Our stay at Point Edward
was uneventful, our duty being the guarding of the Grand Trunk
Railway station at that important point. From there," the gallant
colonel said, in concluding, "we returned home full of glory, honor
and pleasant memories."
'Yhile the volunteers were at Goderich the United Counties Coun-
cil there held its June session. This was a fortunate thing for the
\olunteers, as it forcibly brought home to the members of the Council
that it was only at a pecuniary loss and with great self-sacrifice, that
these brave fellows had left their various employments and places of
business to take up arms when called upon to do so in defence of
their country. Realizing this, the Council votcd that $10,000 be
included in the levy of that year to SUpplt'111t'nt the government
allowance paid the men. This was distributed on the basis of fifty
cents a day to the family of each married Illan and twenty-five cents
per day to each !'ingle man. The amounts so paid to the different
eompanip
from Rruce were as follows: Southampton. $94:0.25;
Pai
ley, *:1S!I.50; KincanlilH' Yil1age, !Þ288.75; Kincluòinc Town-
186
32xD BATTALION FORMED
ship, $334:.25. In addition to this substantial expression of its feel-
ings, the County Council passed the following resolution: "That
the thanks of this County Council are hereby tendered to the volun-
teers now in Goderich for so promptly responding to the call for the
defence of our country against unprincipled and unproyokec1
aggression, showing themselves ready to maintain the honor of the
British name. We would couple with this our thanks to all the
volunteers throughout the province, especially to those who, under
such trying circumstances for new troops, fought so nobly at Ridge-
way, sympathizing with them in the loss they there sustained."!
From the date of their organization until after their return from
Goc1erich the four volunteer companies in the county which had
been authorized existed as independent companies, but on the 1-1th
of September, 1866, these, with the two companies formed that SUlll-
mer at 'Valkerton and Tara, were by general orc1er formed into the
" 32nd Bruce Battalion of Infantry;' under the command of Lieut.-
Col. Alexander Sproat. 2 1'he battalion, as such, assembled for the
first time in July, 1868, at Southampton and put in twelve days'
drill. They were not under canvas on this occasion; a large tem-
porary building had, however, been put up to accommodate the men.
This first assembly W3ß marked by an unfortunate event which
occurred during a sham fight, in which three companies were under
the command of Co!. Sproat and the three others under the com-
lS ee
\plwlHlix R for list of names of those to whom medals han'
been given.
Lieut.-Col. Alex. Sproat "as, on his father's side, of Scotch tlescent.
wbile his mother was a daughter of a r. E. Loyalist. He was born in
the township of Esquesing in lS:1.J. He graduated from Queen's College at
the a
e of nineteen, and entered the engineering staff of the Grand Trunk
Railway, then being construded. After the road was completed he com-
menCf'd business as a provincial land surveyor, first at Elora, and afterward
(]856) at Southampton. He filled the position of manager of the Com-
mercial Bank, first at Southampton and then at \Valkerton. On the
failure of that institution he became manager of the
ferchants Bank
in the latter place. He was county treasurer from :\[ay, ]86-1, to December.
1873. 1\fr. Sproat had the honor to sit for the riding o
North Bruce
in the First Parliament of the Dominion of Canada. As the law then
stood a member of the House of Commons might also sit in the Ontario
House of Assembly, so in 1871
Ir. Sproat ran for the Ontario Legislature
in Süuth Bruce, but rr..et with a defeat, his opponent being the Hon.
Edward Blake. He waa connected with the Volunteers of Druce from 186],
and was Colonel of the 32nd Battalion for some veal's. In ]
80 he received
the appointnH'nt of Registrar at Prince Albert; in the Korth-West Terri-
tories. Being in the midst of the half-breed rising of 1885, he took an
active part in suppressing the same. In religion h
was a Presbyterian.
He married a daughter of Alex. l\Ic
abb, Crown Laud .Agent, who survived
him. His death occurred August 20th, 1890.
COLOR:::; PRESE
'iTED TO THE 32ND
187
mand of )[ajor ,Yo C. Bruce. The command to charge was given by
one of the officers. As their opponents did not receive the order to
retire in proper time, but kept on firing with blank cartridge, two
of the men who were advancing at the charge were shot, receiving
powder marks in their faces which they would carry through life.
These men were under the care of the regimental surgeon all that
summer.
The ladies of this county have always taken a keen interest in
our volunteers. Shortly after the battalion was organized they took
step:5 to present it with a handsome set of colors. About $600 was
collected for this purpo:::e} with which the two handsome flags, which
are such a credit to the battalion, were purchased in London, Eng-
land. The presentation of the colors was a red letter day in the history
of the 32nd Battalion. The ceremony took place at Kincardine, and
the presentation was made by )Irs. Sproat in the name of the ladies
of the county of Bruce. The following is the addres
which was
read on tha t occasion:
"To the Officers and Soldiers of the 32nd Regirnellt}-
"I feel much gratified by the circumstances which have led to
this interesting and imposing ceremony now about to hI"' p('rformed.
and it is with much pleasure but great ditndence on my part that
I am here to-day on the part of the ladies of the County of Bruce.
"Soldiers of the 32nd, it has not been your lot to participate
in other than such peaceful campaigns as the one you <Uf' now about
to enter upon, but though you have never confront('c1 the enemy, you
have shown in ti1l1e
pa!'t that you were prepared, not only to acquire
a knowledge of the military art, but to meet when rpquired the
enemi('s of your countr.,'. The spirit and enthusiasm which on those
times actuated the soldier::: sent forth from Bruce, J know, still are
yours. But remember,
oldiers, that it is not by valor alone a regi-
ment is distinguished. The allegiance sworn by you all to your
sovereign Lady the f)uef'n. the pride which you have in the glorious
Empire of which we now form no inconsiderable and important a
portion, and the love which you bear to the land of your birth or
arloption will, J am c::ure, hC' C'ver prcsent in your minch: a
in your
hf'art:::, leading you to maintain the strictp;;;t disciplinC'. and pver
to be preparf'Cl w}wn cal1pfl upon to guard the honor and dignity of
the Crown and to support thp Laws and Constitution of our country,
to he true to the colors of
'our :-\ovpr("'ign. a11<l h
' your
obripty and
good or<lf'r. olwòipncf' :mcl :::olclierly heh:n ior to uphold. l1T1<<l("'r all
188
RED RIvER EXPEDITION
circumstances, the character of the Regiment. In these respects I
am confident you will never be found wanting.
"Officers and soldiers of the 32nd, I am now about to place in
your hands these colors which are presented to you by the ladies
of Bruce. In committing them to your charge, I may well rest
assured that should unfortunately occasion arise for the display of
your valor in the field, the men of Bruce will maintain their own
and their country's honor, and will then be able to place on their
colors the records of gallant services well and faithfully performed.
"'Vith the colors I now present you, permit me also to offer the
best wishes of the ladies of Bruce for your long-continued happiness
and prosperity, and may our God protect you and yours in all times
hence.
"Dated this 19th June, 1872.
"E. W. SPROAT,
"On behalf of the Ladies of the County oj Bruce."
The "Riel Rebellion" and the Red River expedition of 1
70
could not but have an effect upon the volunteers of Bruce. On the
decision being arrived at to send a body of troops under the com-
mand of Co!. Wolseley, a certain number of volunteers were asked
for. In the case of the 32nd Battalion the number was three from
each company. How readily this was responded to is shown by the
fact that ten of the WaIkerton company answered to Captain Hunter's
call for volunteers. The three of these selected were A. :McVicar,
Joseph Guinn and Samuel Dandy. ..A similar spirit was elsewhere
manifested, but names cannot be given. All the representatives of
the 32nd Battalion assembled at Paisley, from whence they were
sent to London to be placed in the battalion of volunteers who formed
part of the expedition. The various corps assembled at ColJingwood
in )Iay, and early in June were taken by steamer to Thunder Bay.
The exigencies of the expedition demanded the formation of a
"transportation company," which was placed under the command
of Thomas Adair, a 32nd Battalion man. He had under him eighty
teamsters. 1 The object of this history does' not require the following
of the expedition any further. It was a bloodless one, and the only
lAmong these were the following men of Bruce: From the township of
Carrick-Jas. Clendening, Wm. .:McVicar, Duncan Kerr, Philip Miller,
Alfred Hardy; from the township of Arran-D. Love; from Culross-
,Tames Gilmour, .T. Gilroy; from Walkerton-F. Burnham; from Southamp-
ton-Hutchison
Tackson, Donald Robertson. George Smith, J. H. Slocombe;
from the township of Amabel-Robert
IcFarlane; from Kincardine-John
"Kerr.
THE ð2xD IN CAMP
1
9
fame was that of good conduct and of trying hardships endured, of
which the men from Bruce obtained a good record.
}'or a number of years after this but little that is worthy of
record occurred to mark the history of our volunteerò.
The following changes have occurred in the headquarter8 of
different companies in the 32nd Bruce Battalion: In 1872, No. 3
Company had its headquarters changed from Kincardine Township
to Lucknow; in 18ö1, No. 1 Company had its headquarters changed
from bouthampton to Port Elgin; in 18t)3, X o. 7 Company had its
headquarters changed from Belmore to Mildmay, and again iÍ11895
to \ V iarton.
r.!.'he battalion went into camp for annual drill in different years
at
outhampton, Goderich, Windsor, \Valkerton and London. On
nearly everyone of these occasions the County Council supplemented
the governmcnt allowance of pay by a grant,1 an art which ha
done
much to keep the ranks of the various companieò filled with intelli-
gent Joung men, so that the battalion with its fine band (also
encouraged and aided by County Council grants) and its handsome
stand of colors lmc:;, when in camp, carried off the palm as the best
of the rural battalions in the brigade, and has been a credit to the
county of Bruce.
The following very complimentary notice of the Bruce battalion
appears in the report on the state of the- militia by 1fajor-Genera]
Luard, for 1881: "This fine battalion marched into camp. eight
companies strong, with every commissioned officer and man present.
As stores had been issued to supply deficiencies, and as each man had
becn providcd with a linen hayersack, they pre
ented a creditable
appearance. About 80 per cent. were recruits, but owing to the
systematic manner in which the instruction was carried out, progress
was noticeable from the commencement. The hcadquarters staff wcre
encamped in suc'h a position as to enable them to see' much of this
corps, and I can testify to the strict and honest manner in which
the several duties and drills were performed. The only rural
battalion with fun officers and men in place. In battalion and
IThp liberality of the County Council in hestowing grant
to l1l'lp the
Volunteer movement has been VPTY commendable. Besides repeatedly sup-
plementing thp pay of the men during attendance at annual drill, the
County Council also gave, in 1895, $500 for the purchase of helmets for
thl' battalion, improving it
app('nrnnce greatly. In 1901 $300 was given
to purchase a battalion m('ss tent, and in 1903 a valunble silver cup wn!'
presented, to be comp<'ted for allnuall
. by the s('v('rnl companil's at the
rifle ranges.
190
NORTH-WEST REBELLIO
brigade drill the men moved very steadily; at the field day they
acquitted themselves with great credit, not only by marching and
general military bearing, but also in the steady and correct manner
in which they advanced to attack. Lieut.-Colonel Cooper is zealous
and efficient, and ably supported by :Uajor Biggar and his other
oflieers. The corps is a credit to the county of Bruce. The muni-
cipal authorities, like those of Oxford, have been very liberal towards
their volunteers, this year supplementing the government pay by
twenty-five cents per day to each, or a total of three dollars per
lllan; with such substantial assistance the officers were enabled to
bring out full companies. Discipline and interior economy good;
officers well uniformed. Armories and condition of arms, etc.: No.
1 Co., fair and much improved; 2, not clean; 3, very good; 4, 6, 7'
and b, fair; 5, indifferent." In a note the commander adds, "T
noticed Lieut.-Co!. Cooper's efficiency."
In :March, 1885, the rebellion in the North-West broke out.! The
city battalions were the first called upon to furnish a contingent
to suppress it, but as weeks went on it seemed that a larger force was
required, and to the credit of the 32nd Bruce Battalion it 2 was
ordered (
fay 11th, 1885) to the scene of conflict. Lieut.-Co!. J. G.
Cooper was at that time in command. To No. 6 Company of Tara,
under Captain John Douglass, belongs, on this occasion, the honor
of being the first to report themselves ready, awaiting orders. The
battalion, consisting of 32 officers and 336 non-commissioned
officers and men, divided into eight companies, assembled at bouth-
ampton on :May 18th, and remained there expecting to be forwarded
thenee by boat to Port
\..rthur. But the need for a larger force at
the front had passed and so, after a stay of a fortnight in South-
ampton, the companies were ordered to return to their homes.
Uneventful as this incident was in some respects, it showed, how-
Hver. once more that the volunteers in the county of Bruce were
possessed of the right spirit and could be depended upon to respond
to their country's call to duty. The following resolution was
lIn the first action, that at Duck Lake, which took place in this unfor-
tunate rebellion, the first man slain was an erstwhile Bruce Volunteer,
John )Iorton, at one time major in the 32nd Battalion. He was shot
while leading a party of Prince Albert V oluntC'ers. Another 32nd Battalion
man, Alex. :\IcXabb, was severely wounded in the same action.
Iorton'8
body lay for two clays on the field where he fell, when his old friend, Lieut.-
Col. Sproat (32nd Batt.), found the body and took it to his own home to
be prepal'ed for burial.
2The 32nd was the second rural battalion orderefl to the front. In
Chapter VIII. are to be found some other incidents i1lustrating publi
feeling over this affair.
A BRGCE HERO IN SOUTH AFRICA
191
passed by the County Council at its June session, 1885, shortly
after the above incident: .. This Council desire to place on record
an acknowledgment of the 05acrific
made by the volunteers of the
county of Bruce in responding so readily to the recent call on them
for senice in the .Korth-\rest, many of the men being compelled
to throw up their situations, having since their return been unable
to find employment, and all anticipating that their services would
be required for some length of time, were put to much expense."
In common with the rcst of the Empire, at the commencement
of the war ill 80uth Africa, a desire was felt among the young men
of Bruce to aid in the hour of the Empire's need. About a score of
our brave young fellows consequently were found in the ranks of
,-arious corps in South Africa, and gaye a good account of them-
selves.
OIlle of these were wounded, but only one laid down his
life; Gord.on Cummings was the name of this young hero, a title he
nobly earned during the action in which he was slain. The people
of Bruce have done well in erecting a monument at Port Elgin, his
native place, to commemorate his name and deeds. Lord Aylmer,
the Adjutant-General of Canada, presided at the unveiling of the
monument, which took place August 28th, 1903. 1
In looking over a list of those who have held commissions or
haye been privates among our volunteers, we find the names of
those who have been most prominent in the county, as members of
parliament, judges, reeves, county ofhcials, leading professional
men, merchants, farmers and manufacturers; no class but what has
t:ontributed a representative. Some of these can claim having
5el'n long- 8prvipp. The one who po
:-:ihly earned the claim to be the
longest associated with our ,olunteers \Vas the late De W. H.
)[artyn, 'LD., surgeon of the battalion, who was a private in the
Kincardine company when it was formed in 18G2, and remained
connected with the battalion until 1898. Captain .T ohn Douglass
also had a long connection with the battalion, extending over 29
years; he retired in June, 1895. The" Long Service :\Iedal" has
heen nrstowed upon a number who have been connected with the
32nd Battalion; the namf'S of those so honored are to he found in
Appendix S.
In closing this chapter of interest to the county, it will be fitting
'The inscription on the monument is as follows: II In mf'morY of
Troop('r Gordon C'ummingq, of Kitrhenl'r'R Horse, kilJed at thf' hattie of
Xooitgedacht, South A friC'a, nf'{'emher 13th, 1900. whi]e gal.Janth r attempt-
ing to prorure ammunition for his co]umn. Son of Patrick an'd Barbara
Cummings. Born in Saugeen, Dec., 18ï5."
192
co
nIANDINO OFFICERS OF THE 32
D
to do so by mentioning the names of those who have had command
of the battalion. They are as follows:
Lieut.-Co!. Alex. Sproat.! Commission dated 30th June, 1871.
Lieut.-Co!. J as. G. Cooper. COlllmission dated 11th February,
1881.
Lieut.-Co!. John ,Yo S. Biggar. Commission dated 7th April,
1887.
Lieut.-Co!. B. B. Boyd. Commission dated 11th July, 1890.
Lieut.-Co!. James H. Scott. 2 Commission dated 24th December,
1891.
Lieut.-Co!. Adam 'Yeir. Commission dated 24th December, 1899.
Lieut.-Co!. Hugh Clark. Commission dated 15th :\Iarch, 1906.
The present regimental staff consists of Lieut.-Co!. Hugh Clark,
l\Iajor 'V. J. Douglass; paymaster, )Iajor J. Henderson; quarter-
master, G. 'Y. Spence; surgeon, H. H. Sinclair; chaplain, Rev.
.
F. Robinson. The above named, and also the captains of com-
panies with the subaltern officers of the regiment, posses::> the full
confidence of their men; while officers and men are alike in their
desire to live up to the motto of the regiment, " Amor Patriæ."
lCapt. A. Sproat, No. 1 Company, received the appointment of Acting
Lieutenant-Colonel, September 14th, 1866, and held that position until
commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel as above.
2Lieut.-Col. Scott was born at Simcoe, Ont., August 6th, 1858. He was
educated at Simcoe High School, and called to the Bar in May, 1880.
He resided from :March, 1881, until the fall of 1902, at Kincardine, when
he removed to \Valkerton, to practise his profession in partnership with
Alex. Shaw, K.C., the County Solicitor. He entered the active militia on
June 11th, 1883, as Lieutenant in the 32nd Bruce Battalion; became
Adjutant 15th :May, 1885 (the regiment then being concentr3.ted for active
sen-ice in the North-West); was promoted Major, 13th January, 1888, and
attained the command of the corps 24th December, 1891, being at that
time the youngest commanding officer in the Canadian force. On the expira-
tion of time limit he retired, 24th December, 1899. He bolds a first-class
R. S. 1. Certificate. Politically he IS a Conservative. He was one of the
vice-presidents of the Young l\Ien's Liberal-Conservative Convention of
Ontario, held at Toronto, lSSï, and was for a number of years president
of the Liberal-Conservative Association of Centre Bruce In 188
and
1887 he unsuccessfully contested 'Vest Bruce for the House of Commons.
He was reeve of Kincardine for _ six years, and from 1888 to 1902, inclusive,
was almost continuously a member of the Bruce County Council; ever efficient as
a worker, his merits were recognized and he was made warden of the
county in 1894. He is actively and prominently identified with many
local organizations and fraternal societies. In the Orange and Royal Black
Institutions he has been an active worker; is a Past County Master West
Bruce, Junior Deputy Grand :Master Provincial Grand Orangf' Lodge Ontario
West, and recently was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master of the
Grand Black Chapter of British America. Col. Scott is a member of the
Presbyterian Church. He was married, 1883, to Lizzie M., daughter of late
Ald. Wm. Stanle
., of Toronto. They have a family of two sons and a
daughter.
CHAPT En Xl.
TUE LXDLLY PESISSULA.
185-1--1
)OlÎ.
'fIlE fact::; to be l'elateJ in thi::; chapter may, to some readers, be of
a somewhat uninteresting character, but they could not be omitted
in a history of the county of Bruce. The particulars here given
ref('I' to the throwing open for ::;ettlement of the
augeen Peninsula,
the Indian I..and Sale, and the subsequent connection and dealings
of the Indian Department with those settlers who undertook to
settle on and open up the most unpromising part of the county.
Only transactions affecting the peninsula as a whole, or at least of
more than one municipality therein, will be here mentioned.
In the preceding paragraph the peninsula is referred to as the
most unpromising part of the county, in support of which state-
ment the author asks the reader to read the quotations from the
reports of the county ntluators, as gi\ en at the beginning of the
('hapters following, on e3:l'h town::;hip. Good farming land in the
peninsula is the exception, not the rule. Land that at one time had
a fair amount of timher on it ha::; ueen burned over by forest fires,
anll t1wrf' llOW remains nothing but bare rock-square miles in
extent in SOllle places-Qn which a
canty growth of stunted trees
is to be seen. \Vhat good soil there is, seems to be either in hollow::;
filled uy the wash from higher groulH1, or else land that at one time
was a swamp, which having been drained has become excellent land
yielding larg" l'I'OpS, till' towll
hip of Ea:-;tnor gi\Ïng the Lest ex-
ample of this. Notwithstanding the scarcity of large areas of good
arable land, many of the sett1er
who have remained in the pellin-
!'ula arf' to-day ycry well-to-do, while the stock that cattle buyers
bring in large quantities to Wiarton for shipment speaks well of
t}w po:,:,ihilities of the peninsula as a stock-rai:;;ing ::;cction. The
main rc:-;ource of the peninsula in the past has heen it:-; timber; how
long that wi11 last is a mooted question.
TIy the treaty made with the [nòians at l\Ianitowaning in 1836,
as relatNl in Chaptf'r 1., the lands in thp peninsula were to remain
in thf'ir pO
f'
ion JI) pl'rp,\tuity. On thi
point (
p('aking of the
8 193
194
PE
I
ULAR SURVEYS
Indians) a clause in the treaty reads as follows: ,. Proper assist-
ance (shall be) given to enable you to become civilized, and to cul-
tivate land, which your Great }-'ather engages forever to protect for
you fI-um the encroachments of the ,rhites." As the years rolled
by the demand for lands for settlement became imperative, so not-
withstanding the aume-mcntioncd agrcelll
nt, the Indian chiefs
were approached, and after some parleying, consented to the mak-
ing of another treaty (see .Appendix A), whidl wa:; concluded
October 13th, 185-!, by which the Indians surrendered to the -Crown,
in" trust, all the lands in the peninsula with the exception of special
reservations mentioned, upon the following teTms. "rrhat the
interest of the principal sum arising out of the sale of our lands be
regularly paid, to ourseh"es and our children in perpetuity, so long
as there are Indians left to represent our tribe, without diminution,
at half-yearly periods."
At the time of this surrender Lord Bury was Superintendent-
General of Indian Affairs. He seems to have taken measures with-
out much delay to have the lands as above surrendered opened for
sale and settlement. To this effect he issued instructions April
26th, 1855, to Charles Rankin, P.L.S., of Owen Sound, to survey
the townships of Amabel and Keppel, and that part of the present
town plot of Southampton lying north of the Saugeen river. These
surveys )lr. Hankin promised to have completed, and the plans pre-
pared by the 1st October following. To accomplish this he had
three separate parties of surveyors at work. In the meantime the
Crown advertised a sale of these lands by auction, to be held at
Owen Sound on October 17th, 1855. l\lr. Rankin, for some reason
not known to the author, expected to have been appointed the agent
to conduct this sale.! The government had another appointee in
view, and on September 12th of that year \Vm. R. Bartlett, of
Toronto, was notified that the position was his. This was far from
satisfacto'ry to :Mr. Rankin, and as a result of his displeasure, when
:Mr. Bartlett reached Owen Sound he found that there were no plans
forthcoming of the lands advertised for sale; as a consequence, the
sale had to be postponed indefinitely. The heated correspondence
that followed between the Department and l\1r. Rankin, and the
stormy interview he had with Lord Bury, are to be found recorded
in a government blue book. The upshot of it all was, the plans were
. 1 AH the rpmuneration was 5 per cent. upon all moneys derived from the
sale of the lands, the post was one well worth having.
LA
D SALE AT OWEN
OVND
195
promised to be supplied by April 30th, 1856, but Mr. Rankin did not
get the appointment he desired.
After a delay of nearly a year, the sale of Indian lanùs was at
length held at Owen Sound, the date being rruesùay, 2nd September,
1t;36. The auctioneer wa::; J. G. Gale, of that town. The particulars
of the sale are so fully anù explicitly given in Mr. Bartlett's official
report that it is here given in full :
.. TORo
To, NOVEMBER 20TH, 1856.
" ùir,-His Excellency the Governor-General having been pleased
to entrust to me the conduct and management of the first auction
sale of a portion of the Indian Territory in the Saugeen Peninsula,
I have the honor to submit with my return all the Books and Maps
connected therewith, and a Tabular Statement in detail, showing
the result of the sale. 1
"The two southern townships, Keppel and Amabel, containing
about 144,000, were the ones sold. Every lot was put up by the
auctioneer, and of the whole number of acres offered, 35,364 wcre
not bid for. They therefore remain over for the next sale.
"Thc Town Plot of Southampton on the north side of t.he
Saugeen River at its entrance to Lake Huron, comprising 38 park
lots from 1 to 19 acres, and 279 town lots of about half an acre each,
.... was included in the sale of these two townships, and every lot sold.
"The Town Plots of Oliphant and Wiarton, each containing
1,000 acres, laid out in town and park lots, are both situated in the
Township of Amabel. rl'hese were not included in my instructions
and were not brought forward. rl'hey also remain for future disposal
"10s. 3ù. an acre was the average upset price for farm lots and
188. ßd. an acre the avcrage rate at which they sold.
r HTAT":)H;
T
IJOWI
I; TilE REsn.T OF TII": FlR<>T ACCTIO:--I S \I.E 0.1' TilE
ArOEJ.::--I IsuJ..\s LA:--IDs.
Numhel" of acrcs of farm land in thc trac't .. .. . . .. ,. .... .. 144,000
Acres sold, 109,000; acres \HIAolcl. :J;),OOO--= 144,000
Farm LotA.
Total valuc at upsct prif"c. . . , . . . . .. t:;';),H
3
Total sale pricc ..... _ " . , . . . . . . " "" (W(),:
-H
.\ \"erage upset price Jlcr acre 10/3
. \ \"erage }l1'icc }IeI' acre for which
thev RuM .... ,. _ . . . . _ 18 t.i
. \ vcmg
ach':II'f'c upon the UpAct price tìO'%
Park Lob;.
.(4,305
CIO,fi09
Town LotI:!.
.CI,950
-t:H,3H2
TotItJ
.
.C62,OiR
1:119,332
1;)0' 0
32,")%
!r2%
Tolnl amount soM ....................... J:II!),332
lTpACt valuc of unRolcllanrl .. _ . . . . . . . . . " , .. 16,398
.E135,730
196
LAND SALE AT OWEN SOUND
c. rrhe farm lots sold at an average advance of 80 per cent.
" The park lots at an average advance of 150 per cent., and
to The town lots at an average ad\-ance of 3'
5 per cent. on the
upset prices.
" Some few remaining farm and park lots were also sold on what
is termed the Half-mile Indian strip, a portion of which was for-
merly surrendered to the government by the Indians and sold for
their benefit.
"It is to be sup}Juseù there will be some defaulter
who will not
.make good thcir payments, but their number is comparatively small
considering the large amount of land sold and instalments paid
upon it.
" .Assuming that the unsold farm lands sell at a future sale for
no more than the upset price, which is a low amount to set them
down at, seeing the average advance is 80 per cent. on their upset
price, the whole produce of the two townships of Keppel and Amabel
(exclusive of the Town l
lots of Oliphant and 'Viarton) will give
for the benefit of the Indians the large sum of ;E135,730.
. "The Au Sable :l\1ill Site, comprising 1,100 acres of land offered
at 12,000, sold for 1:2,390.
"The )lill Site near Owen Sound containÜlg" 45 acres, put up
at !500, sold for 1760.
"The amount of the first Instalment of one-third of the pur-
chase money, which has been paid into the Bank by the buyers at
this sale, is 134,Oß1 Is. 7d. Cy.
"The Caughnawaga rrract, situated very advantageously on the
Owen Sound Bay, the surrender of which was only obtained from
the Indians during the progress of the late sale, though small, is
reported to be good land. Instructions had been forwarded to me,
by direction of His Excellency the Governor-General, to offer the
same at the first sale; but having got through all the land and
closed the auction two days before these Instructions reached me,
and the people naving nearly all dispersed and returned to their
homes, many of whom had been waiting for this land, I felt that I
.
ould not in justice to the Department. and ,vithollt can
ing- much
_.dissatisfaction, carr
r out that m'der. 1'hi:" had. will. therefore,
remain to be offered at another sale.
" Thp large tracts of some of the best land in tlw Peninsula still
beld as reservation by these Tribes of Indians. and lying as they do
lip'on tbe borders of the surrendered pOrtiOIl
, are considered a great
bar to the rapid settlement of those portions already sold. These
lands are unoccupied and uncultivated and will prohably remain in
that state until the
r are given oyer to the mê1Ilag't'ment of the Dppart-
mente
PRICES REALIZED
197
" If, therefore, a surrender of these reservations cuuld be obtained"
it woulc1 tend ycry much to the benefit of the tribes, and be the
means not only uf :;ettling the Count), but of adding materially
to their incume.
"Due notite ha\Ïllg been giyen in the principal papers of the
Province, the sale" as c01llmenceJ at Owen Sound, and continued for
five days in Sutd'ssion. The audien<::c was large and highly
respectable, being composed <'hiefly of the )"<'ollH>n of the country,
and numbered throughout the days of sale upwards of 1,000 p
rsoDs.
"Tll(' greater part of the farm lands were purchased by farmers,
Jllany of whom had heen waiting mor<, than a year for this oppor-
tunity of buying farms for themseh-es and their sons, and from the
opening to the close of the sale the competition wa
keen and spirited.
The greatest good order and good feeling pr('\"ailed amongst the
buyers throughout the progres
of the sale, and all expressed them-
selves wPil sati
fied with the arrangements of the Department.
.. 1 have the honor to he, sir,
,. ï our obedient sernmt,
., \V. H. B.\UTLETT,
" Agent fo,. the Sale."
111
\pl'elldix Y is given a copy of the advertisement announcing
tlll' IlHlian land FaIt,. The <.:onditions of the sale were: One-third
of purchase money to be paid at time of purchase, while no cOlldi-
tiolH; were attached regarding settlement or clearing of the land l
or en'cting of a honse, such as were n'quirec1 hy the Crown Lands
Departuwllt of tho
e who purchased in other parts of the county
farm lot:;: dired from the Crown. Conùitions such a
these, or rathl'r
the la<,k of <'OIHlition:-:, attracted I'l'eculator
, and their presence
explaiu;-J the high prices obtained, whieh, so the author has hel'n
informed by oIl(' in attenùance at the sale, in the case of some farm
lots ran up to $:W per m'n>, while for park lots at Houthampton
as high a
$:!.:!Of) wa
hid. Latpr 011 the Rpeculators realized how wild
tlwir hidH hall 111'(,1l awl forfeitpcl tlH' Olw-thir(l pur('ha
(> money they
hac1 paic1 awl tllrpw up thpir pur('ha
ps.
\ protp:;:t from other parts of the county \\a::, made rc>garding the
ab
(,llce of any requirclIwuts in tIle matter of
ett1elllent duty, at
thi
fo;a)p of T n(lian land:;:. \ttplltion haying b('(>n drawn to the
JOn the lots frontin
on the Cpntrl' Diagonal and thp Saug('('n and
Sydpnham rotuls, then' waR an ('xc('ption as to conditions. In these
cmlf'R thp purchnser hnd, " within 01\1' Yt'nr nftpr thl' datf' of pUrChaRf', to
cut and n'move all the timh('r from the c('ntrl' of thp rO'l(l to a c]('pth of
ninf'ty fpet."
198
I
DIAN LAND OFFICE OPEKED
omission, it was not long before a change was made in this respect,
assimilating the practice of the Indian Department in this county
somewhat to that of the Crown Lands Department. The later con-
ditions are given in a footnote.! The author regrets that he is not
able to give the date when the revised conditions first came into
force.
The fact that at first the Indian Land Office was not located any-
where in this district, but at Toronto, was a great inconvenience to
settlers; owing to the slow mail service of those days long delays
were inevitable in the transaction of business. This unsatisfactory
state of affairs lasted until 1878, when the agency at \Viarton was
opened. The first person appointed to act as agent there was B. B.
Miller, who held the office until 1884, when he was succeeded by Wm.
Simpson. In 1901, on the retirement of IVlr. Simpson, the position
was given to \V. J. Ferguson, who still is in charge of the office.
Another drawback to a satisfactory relation between the public and
the officials was that the Indian Department existed and carried on
its business irresponsible to the Government, the Indians and their
affairs being a department that had as its head the English \Var
Office, the Governor-General's secretary being ex-officio Superin-
t.endent-General of Indian Affairs. This was changed, however, in
1868, when an Act was passed 2 establishing the Department of
Secretary of State, and appointing the holder of that portfolio as
the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. This and subsequent
changes have supplied the then much-felt need of a department
responsible to Parliament, and that would be willing to listen to
petitions asking for some remedy to the unsatisfactory position of
affairs which had given rise to so much discontent among the settlers.
That the reader may have some idea of the grounds for the dis-
content referred to in the last paragraph, the following particulars
IThe amended conditions of purchase, which were in force from an
early date, were as follows: One-fifth of the money to be paid at
the date of sale, the balance to be paid in four equal consecutive
yearly instalments bearing interest at 6 per cent. Settlement was required,
actual occupation and improvements to commence within <;íx months from
the date of sale, and to be continuous for a period of three years previous
to the issue of the patent, within which time there shoulò be cleared and
fenced at least five acres upon each parcel of land containing one hundred
acres. A dwelling house not less than 24 x 18 feet was to be erected.
Nonfulfilment of any of these conditions might cause cancellation and
forfeiture of purchase money. Until the patent was issued, it was neces-
sary to obtain from the Land Agent a license to sell wood or timber, but
Buch license did not permit the selling of pine.
231 Vie. Chap. 42.
SÉTTLEHS' GRIEV AXCES
199
are given. The first has reference to undue partiality given to some
who bought at the first sale for purely speculative purposes, and is
an extract from a speech made by the member for North Bruce in
l'arliament (session of 18()!)).
[r.
proat said: Extravagantly
high prices were given, but speculators who then had bought three
lots at ruinous prices, had been allowed to apply the payment of
the one-third of purchase money, made at time of sale upon the three
lots, to one of them, for which he got a patent, and then abandoned
the other two lots, while actual settlers who had bought only one lot
got no equivalent privilege. He believed the one-third of purchase
money, required at time of sale, would in most cases represent more
than the value of the lot, and he hoped some plan would be adopted
to relieve settlers of two-thirds of the price. There were many other
grounds of complaint, some of which were set forth in a series of
motions .passed at a meeting held :March 19th, 1872, at which the
reeves and prominent men of the district were present. The various
motions pas
ed were to the effect: (1) That this meeting petition
the Governor-in-Council to appoint a local agent in some central
place to transact all business in connection with Indian lands that
i!' at present tran!'acted at Toronto; (2) To make a grant of money
for the improvf'ment of the roads in the several municipalities, as an
equivale>llt for taJ..es lost on lands resumed by the Indian Department;
(
) To appoint a commissioner to re-value the un
old land!' in the>
Pe>ninsula with a vipw of prolllotin
actual .;:dt1cment of the
ame;
(4) To cause to be re-valued such lands as have hpcn !'old at an
eÀorbitant price, or lands of inferior quality on which the whole
purchase money has not yet bee>n paid; (5) To appoint a commis-
sionf'r to confcr with the Indian owners of these lands with a view
of F(lcuring the purcha
e of thc whole I nc1ian Peninsula from them
by the gO\ crnmcnt ; (()) That all unsolù lanas in the Peninsula be
brought into the market, to be sold to actual sett1er
only. At the
ame time a deputation was appointe>d to visit Ottawa and confer
with the government. As a result of the foregoing, the Indian
Department annonnced, shortly after thp visit of the deputation, that
it \\'OH1<1 consider case>s of special hardships. Lih(lfal conpessions were
al
o ma(le', hut the' author has not bel'Jl ahle to learn their exact
natuTP. t'\(Ot'pt that 'VIIl. Run, derk of the township of Amahel. was
appointed to make a valuation of the lands and rf'port to the
government.
Tllf' IT on. David Laird, )[inister of the I nÍf'rior. came In the
200
RE-VALUATION OF LANDS
summer of 1875 to invest.igate personally the grievances complained
of. Ire drove through parts of the Peninsula, inspecting the lands
and the circumstances of the settlers, with the result that a re-valua-
tion of the lands was subsequently made, this work being done, so
the author has been told, by a )Ir. :\IcKay, who resided at or near
Ottawa. )Ir. Laird, on his return to the capital, announced: "That
he had been authorized to grant such measures of relief at once that
shall be just to both the settlers and the Indians interested. That
each settler's case would be dealt with on its own merits, and that
all interest would be remitted up to the end of that year (1875)."
The timber dues ",ere at the same time slightly reduced. In a foot-
note1 is given the scale of timber dues in force at the time of :Mr.
Laird's visit, which must have been a burden to the settlers.
The re-valuation of lands just mentioned was not to be the final
one. A sense that full justice had not been rendered by the Indian
Lands Department was felt by many a settler, who finding existence
on a farm 101 which contained more rock than tillable land a hard
)ne, readily brooded over any rightful grievance he might have, so
complaints and protests were forthcoming. At length sufficient
pressure was brought to bear to force the government to take action,
which took the form of the appointment of two commissioners, John
ISCALE OF TIMBER DUES IN FORCE IN THE SAUGEEN PENINSULA, 11TH
FEBRUARY, 1873.
Oak, squared timber, 1,000 cubic feet ...........................
Oak, saw-logs, per 1,000 feet, inch measure ....................
Red pine, tamarac, elm, beech, ash, maple or hickory, per 1,000 feet,
cu bic measure .,.........................................
Red pine, tamarac, elm, beech, ash. maple or hickory saw-logs, per
1,000 feet, inch measure .................................
White pine, cedar and spruce, per 1,000 cubic feet ....... .......
White pine, cedar and spruce saw-logs, per 1,000 feet, inch measure
Pine Staves, per 1,000, standard ................................
West India Staves, per 1,000, standard .........................
Railway ties, tamarac, cedar or pine, per 1,000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Telegraph poles, per 100 .......................................
Cedar pickets, per 100 .........................................
Tamarac knees, lineal measurement, per 1,00 feet ...............
Shingle bolts, per cord .......................................
Shingle bolts, in advantageous localities .......................
Cordu:ood.
Hard, per cord ...............................................
Hard, per cord, in advantageous localities ......................
Soft, per corel .................................................
Soft. per cord, in advantageous localities ........... ............
Hemlock, per 1,000 cubic feet .................................
Hemlock, 1,000 feet, inch measure ..............................
Hemlock bark, per cord ................................
$30 00
5 00
16 66
3 00
15 00
1 60
15 00
5 00
3 00
8 00
3 00
16 66
o 60
o 70
o 30
o 40
o 20
o 25
7 50
o 80
o 50
TDIBER LICENSES CANCELLED
201
Irwin and George Elliott, to make another re-valuation of the lands
in the Peninsula. r:r'his they did in 1897 and 1898. The result of
their report was that the Department made large reductions in favor
of the settlers, although in some instances an advance was made in
the price at which certain lots were held.
1\. form of unfair treatment much complained of while it lasted,
was the granting to large lumber companies the privilege of cutting
timber on lands owned by settlers. The British and Canadian Tim-
ber and Lumber Co., of which H. H. Cook, :l\I.P., was manager, was
one of such, privileged by license to denude the land to the settlers'
loss. In the case of this company, especially, it was decided to
energetically protest, so a deputation consisting of Charles Webster,
David Dinsmore, Dr. S. \Vigle and 'Villiam Baker proceeded to
Ottawa to lay this grievance of the settlers before the government.
This was about 1880, Parliament being in session. John Gillies, the
representative from North Bruce, unfortunately for the interests of
the deputation, sat on the Opposition benches. That their interests
might. not suffer thereby he asked Alex. Shaw, the member for South
Bruce, a supporter of the government, to introduce the deputation.
The strength of the opposition to the relief sought, lay in the fact
that the license holùers were largely government supporters.
Ir.
VanKoughnet, the head of the Indian Department, stated that it
was and always had been the policy and practice of the government
to renew these licenses. )[r. Shaw, being in full sympathy with the
request of the settlers, finding no headway in their interests was
being made, got Sir D. L. :l\laepherson, the Minister of the Interior,
to go with him and argue the question before the Premier,
ir John
A. 'f acdonald. This was successfully done, and the order was finally
given to cancel the licenses complained about.
The next grievance under which the Peninsula suffered and for
which red re
s was sought wa
one not of the individual settler, but
of the township municipalities, the complaint being the loss of taxes
arising from the cancelling (by the Indian Department) of land
sales because of the non-fulfilment of settlement duties. The effect
of these cancellations was that the lanù was resumed by the Crown,
and as Crown lands are not liable to he taxed, any arrears of taxes
charged against the land
referred to hecame void and were lost to
the municipality. Tn 18R7 the County [1ouncil petitioned against
the" holesale cancellations lately made. The petition set forth the
large sums lo
t in conseqlH'Il('P hy tlH' municipalities, whieh for the
202
ROADS IN THE PENINSULA
years 188-!-5-6, in the case of Albemarle amounteù to over $700, in
that of Bastnor to about $850, and in that of the united townships
of Lindsay anù St. Edmund to m-er $3,000. The
uperintendent-
General of Indian Affairs declined to change the practice, the reason
assigned being that the Indians interested in the sale of lands in the
Peninsula objected to any portion of the
;um received from land
sales being given to municipalit.ies. The Indians were not the only
ones to derive pecuniary benefit from the cancelling of land sales;
there were some holders of unpatented lots, men whose sense of
rectitude and honor was defective, who perceived how the practice
of cancellation might be turned to their profit. The process was
simple: Means were used to get the Department to cancel their
purchase; this freed the land from all claims for taxes; an immediate
re-purchase was then made, with the result of a loss of one, two or
three years' taxes to the municipality in which their lots lay.
From the day the first settler in the Peninsula sought a place on
which to locate, down to the present, the question of roads has been
one of much prominence. This has been because of the many rocky
or swampy tracts existing in that part of the county through which
roads had to be made. These territorial features have also resulted
in the settlers, in many localities, being much scattered. As an offset
to these disadvantageous features may be mentioned the ready access
to the Peninsula by water, navigation being available to bring 'settlers
and their effects to within a moderate distance of any point at which
they chose to settle. There are two main routes for north and south
traffic through Albemarle, Eastnor and Lindsay, one on the Georgian
Bay side of the Peninsula, the other on the Lake II uron side; the
latter of these was the first to be opened. That part of this road
passing through Albemarle seems to have been opened gradually
during the sixties,! and by the autumn of 1870 this road had not
only been opened through Eastnor, but had been pushed forward two
miles into Lindsay. The work in these two townships was paid for by
grants received for the purpose. The author is unable to state the
number of grants made by the government towarr1s the opening of
roads in the Peninsula with the exception of the two here given; in
1892 the Provincial Legislature made a grant of $1,800 for this pur-
pose, which in 1895 was followed by a grant of $1,000 received from
the Dominion Government. The most liberal contrihutor towards
lThe by-law authorizing the deviations north of :Mar was passed,
March 14th, 1866,
DISTRE:-;S IN 1885
203
imprO\ ing the road::; throughout the Peninsula has been the County
Council, which ha
been most generous in the matter of road grants
to this portion of the county, the total amount of which would run
up into many thousands of dollars.
A poor harvest and bush fires in 1ð8-! impoyerished many a settler
in the four northern townships. To relieve the then existing distress,
a commission was appointed in the following spring. As the report
of this commission, as made to the County Council, CO\ ers all the
facts, it is here giyen in full as follows:
.. The Commi
siont'r
appointt'd by the Untario GO\"ernm('ut
antI the \r ardl'n on behalf of the County Council, to relieve the
di
tre;:;:; pxisting in the northern townships, beg to report as fol.
10\\;:;: That upon being notified of their appointment, and the
amount:-: granted for ..:aid purpose, namely, $700 by the Ontario
Government, and $300 by the County Council, in addition to the
sum of $350 that was granted to thp townships of Eastnor, Lind-
say and
t. Edmund at tlw J allUar} se::,sion of this Council, to
be expended upon roads in those municipalities, we proceeded to
Lion's Head, in the township of Eastnor, in company with John
Gillies,
LP.P., and the 'Varden, Mr. Potts, and attended a meeting
of the settlers called by )[r. Ale"X. Chisholm, the reeve of that town-
ship, which was largely attended by settlers from nearly the whole
of the northern penin::;ula, and after hearing their statements and
reviewing a list of namc;:; of applicants for assistance that had been
prepared by a committee formed there previously for that purpose,
and also consulting with several parties wen acquainted with the
matter in hand, a list was prepared giving the names and the amount
of grain to bp di
tributl'tl to each ilHli, idnal, a copy of which is
attached. Thi::; the Commissioners found to be a rather difficult task
to perform, and occupicd their time fully from 2 o'clock in the after-
noon until 2 o'clock the ne\.t mornill
', amI it wa.:; foullIl upon total-
ling the list am1 e
timating the l'()
t, that the amount would e\.ceed
the sum granted, and therefore a proportionate reduction had to be
m
Hlp upon thp whol.. li
t to hring it within the sum at the òisposal
of thp COlllmission. IT p to the prc:-;cnt time, as near as pOf':::iblc,
giving in round figures, 500 bushels potatoes, 200 bushels harley, -l00
bu
hclf' oats, 200 bushels pca
. ì tons of flour, and 1.600 pounds of
oatmeal have been purcha....ed, copies of the inyoiees of which are
also attached to this l'l'port. The:::e, together \\ ith frcight, hag:::. and
a few incidental expenses, amount to about
] ,100, lcaying a halanc('
of $250 still in tJw ha11(1:-: of the (1ommi
ionrrs. But aòditional
applications for assistancc haye l)('rn recci,"cd. I t wa
learned while
the Commission sat at Lion's II('ad that such would be the case, as
some settlements had not rc('('iyed notirc of the l)lcrtin cr called at
Lion's Head. This was unavoidablc on account of thc sllOrtnes5 of
the time. as the sea
on was alrf'ady far ail\'ancetl. and grain had to
2040
TELEGRAPH ESTABLISHED
be purchased at a distance and brought in, all of which consumed
valuable time. The idea of allowing the Commission a small margin
for claims likely to come in afterwards was a wise one, as a number
of cases of extreme poverty have since been reported and relief
granted. The grain supplied has been all distributed. The Com-
mission appointed l\Ir. Chisholm to attend to the distribution at
Lion's Head, where it was all distributed, with the exception of a
very small amount granted to residents in the township of Albemarle,
which was distributed at 'Viarton as being more convenient for the
residents of Albemarle. The parties receiving the supplies have all
been required to give an undertaking that they will perform road-
work at the rate of 1.00 per day for the amount they have received,
with the exception of about ten families who received aid gratuitously,
being in indigent circumstances.
"JOHN McIvER}
"Commissioner for Onto Government.
"A. M. TYSON} .
"Commissioner for Co. of Bl'uce. JJ
rrhemail service throughout the four northern townships has
. been none too frequent at any time, so that an early effort to get into
touch with the outside world by electric telegraph is not to be won-
dered at. The prospect of business, however, was not sufficient to
warrant the telegraph company to construct a line beyond Colpoy's
Bay, where it had an office, although it might be so to operate it.
To assist along this much-to-be-desired project the County Council,
on the motion of Robert 'Yatt and J. H. Whicher, in January, 1884,
voted $150 towards the cost of carrying the electric telegraph to
Lion's Head. This grant was supplemented from other sources,
with the result that in 1887 the telegraph company opened an office
for business at Lion's Head. Points to the north of "The Head"
also wanted to be favored in like manner. In the welfare of his
constituents of this locality, Alex. ]\,fcN eill, the member for North
Bruce, got the r
roronto Board of Trade to petition the Dominion
Government for a grant to carry the telegraph line through to Tober-
mory, urging the advantage it would be to the shipping interests.
What aid was granted the author is not prepared to say, but the line
was opened to Tobermory in October, 1887. This office atHirst and for
many years was only open during the season of navigation. The advent
of the telephone into the peninsula is due to the enterprise of a si.ngle
individual, Robert Gillies. 'Vith some outside assistance he in 1900
or 1901 constructed a line through from Wiarton north as far as
IJion's Head, via 1\far and Spry. Since then he has pushed it for-
TELEPHONE AS WELL
205
ward until now Tobermory can be telephoned to.
Iuch credit is
due to :Mr. Gillies for what he has done to bring to the Peninsula
one of the conveniences of mod
rn life, and it is pleasing to know
that he has found the venture a remunerative one.
As mentioned in Chapter VII., the advent of a railway through-
out the entire length of the peninsula was confidently expected in
H100-1. These hopes are, for the time being at least, doomed to
be disappointed.
In closing this chapter the author would be pleased to write in
words prophetic of a glowing future for the Indian Peninsula, but
its physical features are such that he cannot conscientiously do so.
The men of the north, however, are sturdy and energetic as any that
settled in other parts of the county of Bruce. Knowing this, it is
difficult to prognosticate what they may accomplish in the develop-
ment of the Indian Peninsula.
CHAPTER XII.
TOWNSHIP OF A"AL!BEL.l
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUSTY YALUATORS, 1879.
., Amabel.-There is a considerable amount of ordinary land on the
south side of this township, the north side is mostly rock, interspersed
with lakes and swamps; the east end is wet, sandy land; the west end
sandy hills. It has a considerable amount of yillage property. Its
average price is $11.58."
-'
EXTR\CT FROM THE HEPORT OF COl:XTY VALUATORS, IB01.
" This is the most soutllern township of what is now known as the
Bruce Indian Peninsula. While there are a number of very good farms
in this township, the large majority are the reverse. There is a great
deal of rock from the 10th concession north, and thousands of acres are
almost valueless, indeed, as you will observe by our figures, that a large
number of lots are set down as of no use whatever at present, and no
prospective value. The northwestern part is sand and considerable of it
hilly; it is almost unproductive and has a deserted appearance. A great
many of the small habitations being unoccupied, people have existed on
these lots so long as the timber lasted, after which they got up and left
them. We see no bright future for this section.
"There are a few hundred acres about two miles south-west of
.Wiarton as good as any we have come across in the county. The soil
of the southern half of the township is fairly good, but a great deal of
it is hilly, and roads are hard to make on this account. Amabel is well
watered, the Sauble River enters at the south-east and merges with the
waters of Lake Huron at the north-west. There are a number of other
small streams that give an abundant supply for stock, etc.
"The rate per acre for this township is $13.26; of this sum the
village property amounts to $1.21 per acre."
FOLLOWING the chapter on the Indian Peninsula it seems appro-
priate, in taking up the history of each municipality in the county
separately, to commence with those situated in the Peninsula; which
arrangement the author will proceed to carry out, commencing with
the most southerly of them, the township of Amabel.
H' Amabel "-" Named after Lady _\..mabel, sister of Lord Bury and
wife of Sir Edmund W. Head-Lord Bury seems to have imposed his
family names OIl the peninsula "-" Nothing but Names."
206
.
\\\\\(r-----\\
\
;
-4.---'\ --,--- '1&.>
l{i
;
)) , 0-\\\0AíZ
í' 25 z1
3;Z' 2/ 1 ffi1
13' '
Y}5 14 I')
10 :116 7 , 5, J Z 1 R J1;'
I J , \
i 1,
)J
" h ll ! /
/;r
i\ ',\" 1 I
I 1,
'/I
,r5. (I) ), ))i" I '>
i 9 i'l
. \\ ,
:
I) .
'" '
::"
JG=I';
I
11 . -:
.... ; 1 r-r, '!y . I: r Jf. ;::
"-,j i \
;(2.;,.1$ 'f ,CM.:l 1 _ .J.! 11:
Pf Ij\ k :;It: I" \;
\':
.,
S!t; ' ". - TO"':,{".PiO I ":,f' 'I
k Irr' ï it
}.r:p
!. .,.t-v;:; 'LIPMN 1
I -- ' -. ......iQ::
r-- 'Ì' -''' - .I
t
{ 'l:::/' .. - 'ì L' ' '\ '- I""T"'!" " t
:.
'ò
'.JA
:.
.'a=Ft
:ftf TIll! J.ø;' ,," \")))
r
,I I , :
\ ....
l\.
....\ "... :.p;
\
(t r--.l i +-
\, )
.Ij .
r
. I\
.
"' I
.....
\ \ '1'\ ....'-..... O
.7 ;;)j):,!U\ I
\
.....
. ,....
., :/.'0 . (,\ I ,
.....
\ . I -::::/... ' - '-"
F:;'
'", _ 1\ T
I J j.ì
) s' ) -' ) ' ) '\' ,;
.
,
I. ')}. \.J V / <J
../.
/ r...
_
6.......
T-
(
'-'
'tr!..!'.\:J {
(
g-:: ð
,.....
S.. /}, 'f3Il11
,\
)
.,)ill po s ðJ'
,. '--...( It 7; I
orc';r., .e /
t- f
\ .
. -ø: " Jö /",...." 6..W1
;' 7 -el'
I ; -;- InJi..",
;- ",..,.
.. ".. .,..
,
\
\ ,
R"sorv< \.ao.,,
Z"
; ...--....r,.. '
\\\
i.
vf.
)
O:ØO
(
'.
r
\\ ') t
s 7_ I -r" r1"J.,.....
, " '
, J. ." - iXf It.
\,:,
\ -':\::
-j \ I -U" l.{j ',; "-
'. I;'. JI "" '
f
1
\' '0 t , I! J l.n /' -./ '-" . _
.14" o{r f "-
j I.
- - 1 1 . r '7' l,
,
r
J1 "'
-tI . 1 ' ."'
........
I ' :: I '\,f
b'.I
I I !?I{:
.,) IS
I
hh I
T 1
/ J
l= ?1- LVLi
iz:rr
Jf,
-
Il ;: CS h _ 'i.
.
f. 1 J1.J .
/> II
I 1- :t
_ __
, '7 Q, 1 If I..L-w-!r \
,
Þ,.:'
I 16 F%; ;;,g,,
p . J I >
"",. 'j ,
.L-.
-.!!- _
.....\í[J.\
__.:fj I
.J \-0...".,,,,
I.
T V'I .f! I
II I I 1 I U
A I t I _ 1 '--
'% I I fV' .....-
r '
,1/ /"
. ,.J'I'Þ."" ". ' .,1
, ;/ -': (01";"1 11 i'6? i/
fn1'21/1 't q 1 óS f"!J 21
: lJ.-
T ; I I.I I' ..1/
I ./ (I II" If I
: (!::J-J-' 1tf jff' í G{ ,..w
.
- 2 r J:;F f::'.' I CON
I "l, /r, I I
I '.7 J1
--r..
,1
21 2 S %4 :3 21 C 0'" II, j I . ,A'j..&
"t1
I . .
. ..... ""'t1. J s" "..
. '1'''],''.
....I
FIRST SETTLER
i09
As stated in the preceding chapter, this township was surveyed
in 1855, and the lands therein olfered for sale, September 2nd, 18.36,
by auction at Owen Sound. Unfortunately for the development of
the township, large tracts of land were purchased at this sale by
speculators, with the result that it was a long time before the effects
were overcome of the mistaken policy which had permitted lands to
be sold without conditions of actual settlement being attached.
David Forsyth is credited with being the first settler in the town-
ship, he having squatted on some lanù near El:3Ïnore before the Land
Sale. The next settler wa:; James Allen,! who settled on lots 9 and
10, concession A, in April, 1857. The village of Allenford which
developed there preserves "the name of its founder. The settlement
of the township akr.g the south and south-eastern parts was made
as rapidly as could. be expected when remembering that large blocks
of land were held by speculators. The first to take up land in the
vicinit} of Colpoy's Bay was "
illiam Bull,2 who settled in th
spring
of 1857 north of Wiarton, on the boundary line betwixt Amabel and
Albemarle. In the fall of the same year he had as a neighbor
Alexander Greig, who settled on lot 14, concession 25. As he was
one of the first to settle in that part of the township, and as his
experience was also that of many who settled in that vicinity, the
following narrative, based on a sketch written by himself some years
prior to his death, is here given: Alexander Greig was born in Scot-
J.Tallws Allen paille from the north of Ireland in 1832, whl'n a boy six
Yt'
HS of age, with his parents, who settled in Pt'terboro' ('ounty. In
1X,')o h(' mov<,ù to th(' county of Gr('y amI was rp<,v(' of the township of
Hollanel for a )'('ar or so. As 8tated abov<" he s{'ttlt'd in Amab{'l in April,
1S5;. 1ft' took an ,wtiv{' part in munipipal affairs, filling the offipe of
r('p,-e of th(' united to\\nships of Amaùel and Albt'marle for the
'ears
]86ï, 1Xlik, 1869, and aft('r the separation of the townships was rc{'ve of
.\mahel from lRïO to ISi!), inplusive. and also for the years 1884. 1886,
anel ]S8;. The fact that for sixt('('n y('ars he fil1('ù th<, highest position in
the township tells its own tall' as to the merits and popu]arit
. of Mr.
Allen. lIe died 6\pril 4th, ]S95, aged 69.
[r. Bull was a natin> of Essex, England, where he ",as born Septell1-
bpI' lith, 1823. He came to this country in early life and was married
at Ottawa, in 1S44, to .\nn Barward. Moving to the county of P{'rth, he
fif!'1t tri<,d his hand at farming, giving it 111' to t('a('h school at
fitch{'lI,
anù 13t('r at OWl>n Rounel. In the Rpring of ]x.'); he settl('d )war C'01poY'8
na
', on the tWl'nty-fifth con('es8ion of Amab('l, the piOlwl'r settll'r of that
part of tIll' township. Mr. Bull was th(' first clerk and tr('asur<,r of
Amalwl, filling thl' first-named ofiipe for nineteen years, from ]861 to
lXï9, and tlH' offil'e of treasurf>r from 1Xlil to IHtiï. Th(' Goyernment
f'ngagcel
Ir. Bull to make the first revaluation of lanel!'! in the Iwninsula.
In ]R82 Mr. Bull rl'l'cived thl' appointm<,nt of Indian Agent at
Cape Croker, which ofliPt. he held until thl' time of his dl'llth. "hich
oc('urr<>d May ]7th, ]SS.L
210
EXPERIENCES OF ALEX. GREIG
land in 1t132 and came out to Canada with his bride in 1851. He
was present at the Land
ale held at Owen Sound in September,
185'1, and purchased the lands he subsequently occupied, both in
Amabel and Albemarle. Going back to Collingwood, where his
household effects were, and securing necessary supplies, he and his
wife sailed from there by schooner for Colpoy's Bay. Great was his
surprise and disappointment to find, on his arrival, that Wiarton
existed only in name. Finding a deserted surveyor's shanty, the
women of his party were placed therein for shelter. The only settler
in the locality was \Villiam Bull, but as he was absent when Mr.
Greig and party arrived, the place seemed" a lone, vast wilderness."
Following the surveyor's blaze they were enabled to locate their lots.
That fall they assisted :Mr. Bull in taking up his crop of potatoes,
which service :Mr. Bull reciprocated by assisting them to cut a road
through the bush to their lots. Owing to his inexperience as a woods-
man, it took four or five weeks to construct their first shanty. Some
time in the month of nctober, Ludwick. Spragge and his father carne
in a boat from Owen Sound to 1Ifr. Bull's to fetch his bride to Owen
Sound to. be married. l\Ir. Gre
g took passage with them, with the
purpose of securing a stock of supplies for the winter. The return
})arty consisted Qf Messrs, Greig, Bull,
\.ndrew Horn and \Yilliam
atton. An overloaded boat and "heavy weather resulted ill their
being shipwrecked -{)n the Keppel side of Colpoy's Bay, and in losing
nearl
T everything they had purchaspd. Not to be daunted, and
also forced by the necessities of the case, Messrs. Bull and Greig
built a boat and started in N ovel1lber on a second trip to Owen
ßound. They again met with very severe weather, wh
ch severely
tested their frail craft and their seamanship, and placed them in
danger of a second shipwreck. However, they returned to the bay
In safety, and by Christmas were comfortably settled for the winter.
A big hemlock stood back of the shanty they had erected; a severe
storm which visit.ed them about this time threatened to :fling to
arth
this monarch of the forest, and the household were filled with dread
lest it should fall on and crush their dwellìng. As soon as the weather
calmed we started, said 1Ir. Greig, to "beavpr" the hemlock. It
was the first big tree any of us had attempted to cut down, and so
we worked all aroJilld it just as a beaver would do, until it was about
to fall. We were beginning to congratulate <?urselv
s llS to the resul
of our labors, feeling sure it would cleal' the shånty; but as fate
"'ould have it, às it fell it struck as"tout sapling, which dive
d .
ts
EARLY
ETTLEH
211
faU so that it struck the roof of our shanty, breaking it in but doing
no damage to the walls. After this accident the house could ne\ er
be lllade comfortable, and \\ e haù to build another one. That winter
we made a contract with Hugh and William .ßIcKenzie to chop five
acres. The result was a good object les
on in the work of a
backwoodsman. 'rhey took us along and showed us how to fell
a tree, how to trim oft and pile the brush so as to make it fit for
burning, besides other thing
every skilled woodsman should know.
The trees then felled were, says )Ir. Greig, the first large tree:5 I
ever saw cut down with an axe. .By the following lllid:mmmer eleven
acre:5 were ready for Jogging, and in the fall of 1858 )Ir. Greig
thrashed with a flail twenty-five bushels of wheat and groWld the
same in a coftee mill. The first assessor, T. Roberts, made his rounds
in
Iay, 1859. .:\Ir. Greig's assessment was $;WO real, and personal
property nil. In 18ß 1 he took thirty l)U
hels of wheat to Uwen Sound
by b.oat, but to his great disappointment there was no lllarket for it
there. He could not sell it for either cash or traùe, and had to leave
it at a mill to be ground into flour. The County Council did some-
thing that )car in opening up the county line, and shortly after a
market for grain wa;:, established at Owcn ::;ound. .About this time
a floul' mill was cl'l'dcù by Ludwick Kribs at Colpoy's Bay. l'nfor-
tunatcly it lacked a smut machine; as a consequence the flour there
ground wa
lllixed with particle;:; of Slllut, and the bread made from
it looked a!o. if it were yarnished with hlal'k lead. Xo ill results,
llO\\eVer, followed the eating of it. It was in the early sÍ\.ties before
Ir. Greig receivcu cash for any produce grown on his farm, an
e:\perience common to aU in the early settlcment uays. After the
many hardships endured and overCOllle lfr. Greig passed away, some
forty-five years after he had settled on his bu:;;h farm.
The following art' thp name!' of those who arc eredited with
haYing entered the township in the first year of its settlement: James
Allen, Thomas Knox and John Griffin, in thc vicinity of Allenford;
David [i'orsyth, near Elsinore; J ame
Howe, \Vil1iam Burwash,
W'illiam Carson, Isaiah 'Vilmont, John 'Iurray, Andrew and
\ngus
McIntosh and James Rushton, near Chesley Lake; William Simpson
and Henry Lewis, at Parkhead; and as neighbors of Alexander Greig,
on the north boundary, 'Villiam Bull, Ii". 'rhompson,
\ndrew Horne,
'Villi am Patton and James Henderson. The carly settler
who came
in shortly nfterwnrns were: William \\l1ite, .T ohn and Ed. Loucks,
Andrew Kidd, R. Rutherford, Jo
cph .
L Gunn, R. 'Ych
t('r. Thoma
212
THE GIMSY TRAIL
Ireland, John Aikens, Robert Fraser, Thomas Cascaden, Edward E.
Bolton, Thomas Innis, James Montgomery, S. Nelson, S. Burrows,
George Wain,l Donald McLeod, James :Mason, R. Evans, P. Arnott,
'Villiam Evans, H. Kirkland, E. Blakely, D. Berry, 'V. Driffel, P.
Anderson, Peter Brown, Robert Davis, .William Sh arp 2 and Thomas
Askin. The settlement of Amabel Township has been by no means
rapid, as the following census returns show: In 1861 the population
was 182, in 1871 it was 1,805, in 1881 the number was 3,046; thÎs
rose in 1891 to 3,890, but in 1901 a decrease is shown, the population
being only 3,587. The paucity of the population throughout the
Indian Peninsula for some years after being open for settlement is
evidenced by the fact that at the general election of 1867 the only
polling booth north of Arran on the Peninsula was at Parkhead.
For a long time Amabel fared badly in the matter of roads, in
fact, it was not until the scheme for a system of gravel roads for the
whole county was carried out that the township possessed a good
road. In 1865 the road variously known as the North Gravel Road,
or the Owen Sound post road, was chopped and cleared. In the same
year Denney's bridge was erected. These two improvements gave
ready access to 80uthampton. In the following year this road was
gravelled. It seems strange that this important highway should have
been delayed so long in being opened. The" B " line, one concession
to the north, being cleared earlier, the traffic passed over it westward,
by way of the "Gimby Trail," to Southampton. A word about the
"Gimby Trail,"3 which was the sole route for east and west travel
between Owen Sound and Southampton prior to 1852, and for the
l3ettlers along the front of Amabel for many a day. This trail, which
at the best had only some underbrushing done to distinguish it from
the rest of the forest, struck out from the Saugeen Indian village
almost due east, and entered Amabel at the" B" line, then bending
towards the south-east and cutting across farm lots, it reached a
point a little west of where Elsinore now is, thence along the front
IGeorge Wain was drowned while crossing the Saugeen River on the ice.
He was collector of taxes; his rull went with him into the river, and also
the team and its load. Weeks after his body and the roll were found.
This sad event occurred April, 1864.
2First postmaster at Allenford.
8To make this old Indian trail passable for sleighs, a contract was let
in 1855 to a man of the adjoining township of Derby, named Gimby,
whose name was bestowed upon the trail. It is said that a wheeled
vehicle never passed over it, only sleighs in winter and " jumpers" in
summer.
AMABEL A )IUNICIPALITY
213
of the "Half-mile Strip" to about lot 35, when the trail passed
into Arran. Kepping well to thc south of the bend of the Sauble and
crossing the river at lots
and
t5, at a point known as "Drift-
wood Cro&sing," the trail again reached the front of the lot:, on the
"Half-mile Strip," and then followed the general course of the
present gravel road until the county line was reached. rrhrough the
township of Derby the trail followed rather a zig-zag course until
near Owen Sound.
The township of .Amabel, for municipal purpo;::;e5, was attached
to the township of Arran in December, 185G. This union lasted for
four years. In 1
G1 the townships of _\.mabel and _\.lbemarle were
separated from Arran and formed into a separate municipal corpora-
tion. I This union was dissolved, after existing for nine years, and
a
a separate municipal corporation Amabel has
xisted since 1870.
The separation of Amabel and Albemarle from Arran resulted in
a long and expensivc lawsuit over the proper amount of indebtedncss
to be assumed by the young municipality just entering into corporate
existence. This matter is more funy referred t0 2 in the chapter on
"Arran." The first Çouncil of the united townships of Amabel and
Albemarle was elected January, 1861, and consisted of Ludwick
Kribs, James .L\llen, \Yilliam Simpson, \Villiam Burwash and Edward
E. Bolton. )Ir. Kribs was chosen reeve, \Villiam Bull was appointed
clerk and treasurer, n. H. :J\Iurray, assessor. The assessment roll
for that year contained only 63 names, with an assessment of only
$21,600. The development of Amabel is shown by contrasting these
figures with the assæSlllent of 1903, which is $676,805. In the same
connection the following items from this last-mentioned roll are
interesting: Acres of cleared land, 25,397; swamps and waste land,
28,91 H acres; woodlanch::, 6,7ô-! aC'res. rrhe following are the names
of those who have been reeves of
\mabel from the first. As reeves
of the united townships of Amabel and Alhemarle: Ludwick Kribs
for ]S/iI, 1862, lSfi+, UW5 and 18()(); .Tames Howe, 1863; James
Allen, 1867, 1868, 1869. _\s reeves of the to\\nship of Amabel:
James Allen, 1K70 to 1R79, inclusive, and 1884, 1886 anù 1887;
David Porter, 1RHO, 1881, 1R82, 1883, 18R5; Jos<,ph "!\L \Vhite, 1888,
1889, 18f10, 1891; rrhoma
\skin, 1892, U;U:3, ]894, 1895; \Villiam
Beatty, 1896; J. E. Campbell, 1897, 1898; Joseph R. Chambers,
IThe by-Jaw ('ff('cting this being pasRed by th(' County Council, Sep-
tember 26th, IR60. .
IAJRO SN' 15 U. C. Chanc('ry Report, p. íOl, nnd Ii U. C. Chancery
R('port, p. 1 fi
.
214
B. H. MURRAY
1899, 1900; Cecil ðwale, 1901, 1902; J olm HobillSOll, 1903, 1904,
1906, and John Armstrong in 1905. It would be like the play of
"Hamlet," with Hamlet left out, if in writing the history of the
municipal affairs of the township of .Amabel the name of R. H.
Murray, the present township clerk, was left out. ...\s recorded
above, he wa'ð the first assessor of the township, a position he held
for twenty-one years. He was collector one year, and also received
the appointment of township treasurer, but resigned on being offered
the clerkship in 1885. This position he now holds.
Ir. :Murray
was born in Sutherlandshire,
cotland, September 21st, 1840. He
came with his parents to Canada in 1857, settling in Amabel that
year. J\Ir. :Murray's long association with the municipal affairs of
the township has made him an invaluable officer. Allenford has been
his place of residence for a number of years. 1'here he conducts an
agency and conveyancing business. Actiye and enthusiastic in all
work he undertakes, and maintaining tlll' gooùwill of the community,
it is the wish of all that he may be enabled to fulfil his many duties
for years to come. The township of Amabel has not always been
as fortunate in the trustworthiness and efficiency of its officers as
in the case of the one just recorded. It is regrettable to hayc to
record that the township has lost hca\Ïly by trusted officials. In
1890 the collector of taxes, who had filled this post for some years
previous, was a defaulter to the extent of about $2,000. His estate
yielded something, but as the costs of a lawsuit to coIled the same
were heavy, the net loss to the township was not far from the above-
mentioned amount. In February, 1902, a fire of unaccountable
origin consumed the house of the then township treasurer, and with
it, so he claimed, about $2,500 of township funds. The township
undertook to recover from the guarantee company, which had given
a bond securing the munieipality. ...\ compromise was made between
the corporation and the company by the latter paying $500 in full
of all claims. The township lost in this instance, it is supposed,
about the same as in the case of the collector of taxes.
.While writing upon the municipal affairs of Amabel, the liberal
action of the township in granting a bonus to the Stratford and
Huron Railway Company must not be overlooked. _\ bonu::, of
$40,000 was granted in X oyember, 1878, but nine months later, when
it was seen that more assistance was needed to complete the con-
struction of the railway to 'Vi a rton, an additional grant of $3,000
was made, the total being $43,000. Of this large sum Wiarton
AI
LENFORD
215
assumed $-1,OUU on its incorporation as a separate municipality. The
Township Council failed unpardonaùly, in the first }ears after the
debenture by-law came into operation, to provide a sinking fund to
pay the debentures at maturity. It wa" 18t\5 before the nucleus of
a sinking fund was made. The consequence of this neglect was that
when the debentures fell dut' in lSÐ8, there was only $21,200 on
hand to meet them. Rccourse was made to Parliament, which passed
an \.ctl authorizing the issue of *
1,tWO worth of d('hl'nture
to supply
the deficiency in the sinking fund. rrhe railway has proved of great
benefit to the township, supplying it with five stations from which
produce might be shipped. Large as was the bonus given, the town-
ship has been full} recouped therefor.
The first school in the peninsula was on concession B, Amabel,
north of Elsinore, which was opened. in 1863. In thc
ucceeding
year a second school was opened, this at Chesley Lake, and in the
fall of 1865 a third, this latter at Allenford.
In the original survey of the township of Amabel two town plots
were laid out, both near the northerly end of the township. Of these,
Oliphant is near the westerly terminus of the "Diagonal" road
(which road e"\.tends from nea1" Owen Sound to Lake Huron in the
vicinity of thc Fishing Islands). The other town plot, 'Viarton, is
situated on the county linc at the point where it touche:; Colpoy's
Bay. rrhis town has oeèn successfully developed, and demands a
chapter of this history to ih:elf, so that here it will be no more tha.n
mentioned. "Oliphant" was named after La.urence Oliphant, who
in 1854 was Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. As relaiA.'d
in Chapter 1., he in that year negotiated with the Indians thc sur-
rendcr of the Saugeen Peninsula. This town plot has been :1
disappointment, never developing cven into a village. Being close
to the Fishing Jslalld
, hopes werc entcrtained as to it!' becoming
a businc'!'R (,f'ntrf'; wllf'n these failed to materialize, after some thirty
years of waiting, its numerous town lots were re-surveyed and made
into park lots for farm purpo
es. The locality attract:-: summer
visitors from Wiarton and other places, who have erectecl fl,umm.'l'
cettap'cs in which they may enjoy the healthful breezes that Mow O\ï'1"
Lakc Huron and the restful em ironment of thc place. The post
{.ffice of Oliphant was established in 1874.
".\l1enford" (nallH'c1 aftpr .Janlf':-. \11(,11, a
pr('viously
tat<'ll).2
J(ìl Vi('. ('hap. 37.
2This point was known hy the Iwliaml as " Drift ""00.1 ('rossing."
216
HEPWORTH
wa.4 Hlrn'ycd in 1tH;
. and its }Jo
t-otfi(:c was e::;tablished Ül hH58 1
It is situated about half-way between Southampton and Owen Sound
on the :s orth Gravel Hoad, and has a Tailway station. This little
burg has not made much progress of late years, and it is difficult to
assign a reason therefor. Its present population is about 250. The
lethodist congregation at Allenford erected their first church build-
ing in 1873, the Presbyterian theirs in 1875.
Regarding the origin of the name "Hepworth," bestowed on the
larges
village in the township, 111'. J ohn
L :McN abb, of :::)outhamp-
ton, in a letter to one of the local papers, states that: "The original
owner of the land on which Hepworth stands belonged to a 'Villiam
Plews, who proposed laying out a town plot on his property. Being
at a loss for a name, he asked the Rev. :Mr. Green (a :Methodist
clergyman) to suggest one. )Ir. Green at once said, , 'Vhy not name
your town" Epworth" after the birthplace of John 'Vesley?' }Ir.
Plews, being an Englishman, pronounced the name as if the initial
letter was an 'H.' Unaware of the error, the name stuck, hence
'Hepworth.' ,,. This thriving village contains a population of six
or eight hundred, lying partly in the county of Grey and partly in
the county of Bruce. It commenced to take form about the middle
of the sixties. In 1866 2 a post-office was established there. which
received its supply of mail matter from Owen Sound. The nucleus
around which the village started was the hotel, a large log building,
erected by 'Yilliam Spencer. 'Villiam Plews was also a hotcl-kcC'p(,1"
in the early days. His business was bought out by 'Villiam Driffel,
who surveyed and offered for sale a number of lots that form part
of the town plot. Thomas Briggs was the firnt one to establish a
store at Hepworth, Mr. Driffel following his example shortly after-
wards. The
stablishment of the post-office contributed to the
centring of husiness there aml the place Yfry soon began to rapidly
develop, being the distributing point of a section of good farming
country which surrounds it. The railway materially added to the
prosperity of the village, enahling a ready shipment to be made from
the several saw-mills established there. The town really received its
chief impetus from the presumption that it was to be the centre of
an oil district. In 1890 a man who had had considerable experience
in the. oil fields of Canada and Pennsylvania happened to visit Hep-
IThis, however, was not thp first post-office in Amabel, which was the
ODe established in 1865 at Elsinore, of which D. )IcLeod was the first
postmaster.
2Two years previous to Wiarton obtaining postal service.
SEEKING OIL
217
worth, and expres::,eù his firm opinion, after examInIng the
urface
indications, that there was an underlying oil-bearing strata of rock.
'Yilliam Driffel and 'Vil1iam Beacock undertook to sink a well, but
lacked in capital and proper appliances. The next step taken was
to form a company. The first attempt, honever, was unsuccessfu1.
In 1891 ::\Ir. E. P. Roe, principal of the public school, renewed thø
agitation to organize a company to bore for oil. :Mr. Hoe, having
at one time resided at Petrolea, was satisfied from past experience
that there were indications that a supply of oil e\..Ísted underneath
where the town lay. His enthusiasm was contagious, and a com-
pany was established with a capital of $2,000. This company drilled
a well to the depth of 1,326 feet, when some of the tools were lost
in the well; the company's funds at the same time were exhausted,
and the well was therefore abandoned, although thc indications of
oil near at hand were plent
ful. The next person to take up the
matter was :Mr. John Caldwell; he and -'fro Hoe organized a new
company with a capital of $4.500. The result was that on
\.ugust
2
nd, 1900, the drill opened a vein which h
s yielded ga
in large
quantities. This natural gas has heen used to a large e.Üent, both
for heating and lighting purposes, but it has not been piped to other
points for consumption. The Standard Oil Company of Ameriea
took a grcat intere:;t in the prospccts of oil in this field, and it is
said has secured leases to the l'xtent of about 20,000 acres of land
adjacent to Hepworth. It also sunk wells in this vicinity at dif-
ferent points. but the re
uit ha..: Leen thc same everywhere: there
is ga
to he found. but no oil. So far there has been little return
for t1H' large exp('nditurf' and outlay of labor and capital made in
th
l'arc.h fOl' oil. (HIH'r naml':- that might he mentioned in con-
nection with Hepworth beside;:; thosf' already mentioned are: J. E.
Murphy, C. H. \\Titthun, Rolwrt Halls, .T. E. Ca, mphell Dr. Frank
Camplwll. .TamPA Vance ana :Edward Brigham, Hepworth was
erectefl into a police village hy county by-law, pa5scd Dccemher
14th, lR!)!).
Tllf' following inciclf'nt. which had :-OIlle laughablc featurf's
regarding it, invoh"ed a portion of thp township of Amabel. anò is
hut little known. A firm calling itsf'lf "The Lake Publishin
Company," of Toronto, issl1(,a a circular worded as follows: "On
or ahout the l.;;.t July, lR!)
. th4' Lake Publishing Company win
issuc t1w initial number of Thp Lake 7 a magazilH' which will prm-e
to he without a pf'l'r in C'anatln. "ïthont lo
s of time we propo:,p
21
SA VEL E FALLS
making the following unparallelerl offer: To the first 3,000 sub-
scribers who send us $3.00 we will mail one copy of the magazine
for one year, and give them a warranty deed of a lot, 25 by 120 feet,
in Huron Park. Huron Park adjoins the town-plot of Oli-
phant, overlooking Lake Huron. This is one of the most delightful
locations along the shores of this charming lake, directly opposite
the well-known Fishing Islands of Lake Huron, with bass and other
fishing unexcelled on the great lakes. Remember, there arc no blanks,
the magazine alone is worth the money, but this is our method to
saye time. in introducing it to the public. A first-class publication
and a lot with a clear title for $3.00" How long the magazine was
publisherl thp author is unable to say. The company- had about
twenty-nine acres of lot 48 in concession "D," divided into blocks
of the size mentioned. Some .of the owners of these seemed to have
had exaggerated ideas of their value, as the author is aware of Borne
of them: being mortgaged to the extent of $3,500. To anyone
acquainted with the value of land in that vicinity the whole affaÍr
seems farcical.
: The mills, run by power derivecl f:rom the Sauble Fans, have been
o"perated by different partie" since the first settlement of the township,
but never with very satisfactory results. T he }'[cLean Brother s,
Hector, Lachlin and Hugh, possibly operated the mins for the
longest period of any of the proprietors. lOne interesting fact in
connection with their possession of this property \V as their -purchase
01 the little steamer, lVater lVitch, men tioned in the chapter on
" Paisley." This steamer, some 40 feet long and 8 feet wide, was
han
ported by the "!\IcLean Brothers, on two sleig-hs, in January,
1883, from the Saugeen River to Boat Lake. Thev used it for. .a
n umber of years in towing' log's on Boat L ake, Pike River, and Lake
Sky- This vessel, for many years the sole representative of steam
navigation for commercial purposes on the inland waters of Bruce,
nGw lies, or did until lately, a dismantle(l and rotting hulk, near
the exit of Boat Lake. .
Each new settlC'ment has had its trag
d
'. Too often they are
unknown and unrecorded. :Mr. B. B. ::\,[il1er, of 'Viarton, has sup-
plied the author with the partiC'ulars of on(' i.n which an Amabel
settler flgured. Tt. was in the fall of J 868 that (}porge Fathergill
bought a farm in Amahel. near Boat Lake. He came from the
vicinity of Whithy, and was, for a backwoods settler, very weB off.
After a short stay on hi.s farm he went to Owen Sound, pr('sumably
N A
IES
219
to draw some money from the bank and purchase fall wheat for
seed. Returning in a sail-boat to \Viarton, the crew and passengers
of which consisted of Fathergill, George Brown the postmaster at
Owen Bound, one John Hobinson, of Owen
ound, lately arrived
from New Orleans, and a man named Kennedy, the boat was
seen to enter Colpoy's Bay in the evening. N ext day the boat was
found on \Vhite Cloud Island right side up, and in it Kennedy, lying
dead. A dog was found on the island which had been in the boat; also
a gun. None of the other three persons were ever heard of again. A
suspicion of foul play to get Fathergill's money was felt, but nothing
has eyer developed to cleai' up the mystery.
In a local history the origin of the names horne by certain
places is of interest; to those already given in this chapter the fol-
lowing are added: Lake" Gould," named after George Gould, who
conducted the survey of this part of the township. IIp afterwards
held t1w officf' of county clerk for many years. Lake "Chesley"
and Lake" Spry" each bear the name of a member of the survey-
ing party under :Mr. Gould. "Elsinorè" is a name given by
lr.
Sweetman, the post-office inspector, suggested by the historic spot in
Denmark of this name bein
visite'd by some memhers of the Royal
Family at thp time the post-officf\ was bpened.
Visitors to
lain Station Island have wondered and questioned
as to who it was that erected the massive' stone buildings, the ruins
of which are to be seen there. This que::::tion has heen thoroughly
discussed in Chapter III., on "The Pioneeri;." Other municipali-
tiC':::: in the coullty may nnn many thÌngs to hoast of, hut Amabel,
in the possession of thflse ruins, has the proof that the exploiting
of hpr natural rC'F:011rce!' attractef1 the first of the pionflflrs of Bruce.
CHAPTER XIII.
lrL1Rl'UX.l
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF ('OUXTY \TALUATORS, 1901.
" .We founa the greatest increase here of allY town or village in the
county. A hum of industry, with their many lal"ge saw-mills, furniture,
table and many other factories, being pushea to their utmost limit.
Their beautiful harbor, the best on Lake Huron or (
('orgian Bay, affords
admirable shipping facilities, and stimulatpcl by the large tract of timber
lands on the north, causes a hum of inl1nstry along tlU' waterfront and
is a general benefit to the town."
THE beauty of the site on which \riarton is built places it in a
unique position among the to" ns in the eounty of Bruce, none
other of which can compare with it in picturesqueness. rrhe view
from the hill at the south of \Viarton charms every visitor. At
one's feet lies the busy town, with its numerous factories and mills;
further on, at the docks, are to be
een craft
of all descriptions.
Beyond, the view extends for miles down Colpoy's Bay, with \Yhite
('loud awl Hay li:.lawh in 1]1(' <lishml"c. The (:ultin1Ìf'd fields on
the Keppel side of the bay seem to
et off the bold limf'stone cliffs,
(OOllllllencing almo::-:t at the slwdator\: left hand cUld extending as far
as the eye can reach along the \\'e
t shore. Beauty of scenery is,
however, only one of the natural alhantages possessed by \Viarton.
Its position at the ::,outh cnd of the penÜ1sula rf'
u1tE'd in its being
for years the sole market town for all that stretch of country, and,
dating from the entrance of the railway, the shipping point as well
for all the peninsula could produce from its forests and field,.:.
Large and predominating arc now the interest:=: of Wiarton on Col-
poy's Bay, hut at fir:-;t no cyidence was given that sueh was to be the
case. Oxenden claims to haY(> heen the first place on the bay to
recei,-e settlers. Shortly afterwards another group of settlcr:=: took up
land at or near where the po:-:t-01fi('e is ,vhich now he.ars the name of
"Colro
"s Ray." 1'11('sf' sdtlf'ments date haek to 1856, whereas
H' \\Ïarton ., receivell its name, presnmah]
'. from the hirthp]ace of
Sir Edmund .Walker Head. Uovernor-Genernl at the time of its survey,
who was born (see Enr!J. Rrit.) at \\Ïarton PlnC'e, Hear )'faidstone, Kent.
220
THE FIRST SETTLERS
221
\riartoll town lot
l were not offered for
ale until IbGb. In eviùence of
the total absence of settlement at "ïarton as late a:-: hH.)(), the author
gives an experience of Mr. B. B. )Iiller 2 as related by him. In company
with \Villiam )lcLaughlan, at that time tax collector in A.mabel,
:Mr.
Iil1er started on foot from" ('o]poy's;' going southward. When
in the town-plot of \\ïarton they missed the trail. owing to its
being covered with fallen leaves, and were compelled to spenù the
night in the bush.
The claim of ,J amps Lennox 3 to be first settler at \\Ïarton is un-
disputed. The date of his arrival was S Q\'ember 16th, 186G. His
first work was to build a log shanty, this being the fir5t building
erected for permanent habitation at \\ïarton.
The absence of anything in the way of a wharf or facilities for
shipping in the early days, resulted in the nucleus of the town being
IThe original pricc of these lots was ItG. suhsequently raisea to $10,
and again to $-1-0.
B. B. Miller is a man who has been iùentifiC'r} with \Viarton from its
inc,pption until the prescnt day. During these forty
'eal.s of rcsiùcnce
-:\f r.
Iiller has C'ver held a leadi ng position. Hc was \Viarton's first post-
master, the first Division Court clerk, thf' first ]ndian lands agt'nt, the
first police magistratC', the first mayor, and also was l'cC'\-e when the
municipality was a village.
Kin'udbrightAhire, Scotland, is ::\fr. ::\1 iller 's hirthplaC'('. TIH're hc was
horn, .Tanuary 2.)th, 183G. \Vhen he was tC'n y('ars of age his family
pmigrated to Canada and Aettled at first in Toronto Township, and later
in BC'JlÌinck. .\fter finishing his courSe at school,
\Ir. )[iIler APrvC'd as
a ('IC'rk in a storp at Durham. Being dC'sirous of seC'ing morC' of the
world, he visitC'd and spent a short time in the States. Returning to
Canada, he qualified himself aA a schoolteacher, and subst'C]uently taught
for four )'ears in Arran and Elders1Ïe. His nC'"t venturc was that of
. storC'kecping at PaiAley. 'rhis hUAiness he sold out in July, 1866, and
opened a store :it Oxenden. In 1867 he moved to \\larton, and has bcen
l'1osdy associatpd in every IT,ovement for the wplfare nnd devplopmput of
the town sinC'P tlwn.
3" Un Fritlay, Xovl'ml)('r 16th, UIO
, tlH' grim rmpC'r claimed \Viarton's
oldC'st r('sid('nt, in the pNson of Mr. .TamC's LC'nnox, at till' ag" of 8; years.
:Mr. Lennox W:IS horn in Ireland in 181:>, and C'ame to America in 182
with his parC'nts, who settlC'd in New .TC'rsey. Thc political trouhlC's of
thc day Aoon induc('(l the AubjcC't of thiA Rkf'tch to again spck thC' protcc-
tion of thC' British flag, anù he C'migratC'd to (':lJIada. sC'ttling at Guelph
for a time, tlll'n rC'Inoving to l\[ount ForC'st, anù finally, on NovcmbC'r
16th. 1866, to \Viarton-just thirty-six years previous to the day of his
death. \Viarton was practically a wilderness whcn ).[r. I
pnnox arrived;
all was hush or AC'rnh, and he built thc first housc in thc plact', and
founded what is to-day thc most thriving town in thl' whole c.ounty.
TIe was a stauneh ConsC'rvative all hiA lifC', and espoust'd the LoyaliAt
cause in the troubles of '37 and '38. lIe was a quiet, highly-n'spected
and law-loving citizpn, and his demisI' is generally rt'grettpd. He lea\Tcs
an aged widow and two sonA in Wiarton, in \.-,.Hnfortahle drcumstanc
'
."
-Extract from thC' Jriartolt Calladiall.
222
POST OF.I!'ICE ESTABLISHED
established on top of the hill, the business centre being at the corner
where Gould Street is cro::;seù by Division Street. !'There, in 1868, B.
B. :l\Iiller built an hotel and opened the post-office, just established.
There also John Hodgins and, some months later, David Dinsmore
started storekeeping. After the wharves were constructed and mills
had been erected below the hill, the places of business moved to
Berford Street, and by 1879 Gould Street became what it is now,
largely a residential street.
'l'he first start \\ïartoll received was derived from a grant of $300,
made by the Indian Department towards the building of a wharf.
In 1868 a steamer owned at Collingwood, named the Hero, called
once or twice a week. This service was improved upon in 1869,
when the steamer Champion, Captain 1vlonk, owned by John
Hodgins, above mentioned, made daily trips to Owen Sound, thus
connecting the little settlement with the world at large. It was not
long after the dock was built that a storehouse followed close at
hand, the owner being E. C. Jones: this gave the neighboring
farmers an opportunity to market their grain without travelling a
long distance. Among the business men of \Viarton in the sixtie
,
besides those already mentioned, should be named R. Greenlees,
merchant, and J. Paterson, druggist; also Thomas Gilpin and Dr.
..:c\.. \Villiams, who erected the first saw-mill. In a Directory of
Ontario, that claimed- to be revised to January, 1870, is to be found
a description of \Yiarton, somewhat as follows: "Population about
200, grain and lumber form the principal trade here. It has a
mail four times a week" (brought from Owen Sound via Presqu'
Isle, Big Bay and Oxenden). Other names of residents to be
found in this Directory besides those previously mentioned in this.
ch2pter are, JIiss Jlartha Gilpin, school-teacher, Rev. J. C. Collins
and Rev. Geo. Smith, ministers, both of the Bible Christian denom-
ination. There were two hotels, kept by Joseph Crandon and
Irs.
Currie.
A Directory of a later date, published in April, 1876, has the
following items regarding Wiarton: "Population about 400. A
steamboat makes daily trips to Owen Sound. A tri-weekly stage runs
to Owen Sound carrying the mails, but after
fay 1st there is to be
a daily stage. There is an office of the telegraph company and a
grist mill lately been opened and run by W. H. Heberden." From
the same authority we learn that there were two steam saw-mills,
IXCORP08ATED AS A VILLAGE
223
owned by John Ashcroft and ...:\.. Jones, respectively, also a planing
mill run by F. Lickman and a tannery by D. G. .Millar. There were
four churches, of which the oldest was that of the Church of England,
erected in 1871. This building was seat
d for 160, and cost about
$600. Rev. T. S. Campbell wa
the minister ill charge. . The Bible
Christians had a larger church, a frame building that cost about
$1,4
0. The Congregationalists had a church erected in 1875, cost-
ing $900. The fourth church was a frame building erected by the
:Methodists in 1876, seated for 200, and costing $600.
The }Jrosped of a railwa.r readling \\ïartOll l"au::;cd the popula-
tion to increase rapidly. An increase of population called for an
increase of school accommodation. \Vith commendable enterprise, a
commodious stone school-house was built in 1877 at a cost of $2,200.
In the same year church buildings were erected by the Presbyterians
and the Disciples; the latter edifice was of brick, the other was
frame. rl'hese two buildings gave a total of six churches in a village
which two years later, in 1879, only claimed to have a population of
752. Denominationalism was certainly a feature in \Viarton at that
time. Before passing to another topic, it might be as well to state
that in 1891 the two congregations, Presbyterians and Congrega-
tionalists, united and so formed a large body. Up to 1883 the
\riarton Preshyterians were included in the home mission work of
the Presbytf'rian Church, but when the Rev. E. B. Millard was
inducted as minister, June 25th of that year, the charge wa:-i erected
to the status of a self-sustained congregation.
\Viarton became an incorporated village by special Act of Parlia-
ment,l assented to 5th l\1arch, 1R80. The reason a special Act of
incorporation was ncccs5ary arose from the fact that there was not in
the original to\\ n plot of 'Viarton a population sufficient in number
to comply with the requirements of the Municipal Act,2 but the
number could be mnde up hy taking in that part of the village lying
in the county of Grey. 80 the Act omitted from the area of thp
vi11agí' Hnngc:;:
. ..J, 5 fll1<l () of park lot!:; to the west of the town in
the original survey, while it added thereto aU now in the town plot
east of the county line (Berford street), most of which was in the
original survey of the township of Keppel. The population at the
143 Vie. Chap. 46.
2A population of ov('r 7;)0, within 500 acr('R, was what the " Municipal
Act," R. S. 0., 1877, gave as the requir('I)J('nts for the incorporation of ß
villag('.
224
THE FIRST COUNCIL
time of incorporation wacS giyen as 752. 1 James Grier was appointed
by the
\..ct of incorporation to be the returning officer to hold the
first nomination aml election of a reeve and four councillors. The
Agricultural Hall was where the nomination wa
held, and there,
too, the village council held it::; first meeting on :Uarch 22nd, 1880.
The members of the first Council were: Dayid Dinsmore, reeve; Hiram
Brown, James l\1cKim, D. G. )Iiller and J. 'V. Jermyn, councillors;
Thomas D. Galloway, ell']'k; X eil :Ut: 1[illau, trea:-;urer. In the follow-
ing December the wardens of Bruce and Grey met with the village
reeve, and it was decided that the county of Bruce should as-sume
the proportion of indebtedne5
that the Keppel part of 'Viarton
owed the county of Grey. rrhe amount was fixed at $-100. The
County Council of Bruce in the following January confirmed this
by by-law (No. 173), and the money was promptly paid oyer to the
county of Grey. On becoming a separate municipality the financial
cJaims of the two townships, in whid} tlll' yillagp had developed. for
debts incurred had to be provided for. In settling with the town-
ship of Keppel, 'Viarton assumed one-ele\
enth of the $30,000 bonus
to the railway, and $1,410 of the :Þ
,OOO suhsequent bonus, and $399
of Keppel's county rates; total about $-1,500. rrhe basis of settle-
ment with the township of Amahel was one-tenth of the railway
bonns of $-10,00U and two-thirds of the similar bonus of $3,000,
making' a total of $G,OOO. . In addition to the amounts 1'00 assumed
from Keppel anrl Amabel, WÏarton had an indebtedness of over $2,000
1" To secure the special Act to incorporate the village, it was necessary
that $125 should be deposited with the Government, $100 of which the
Legislature held and $25 of which went to draw up the bill of incorpora-
tion. The settlers never at any time had too mu('h money, so in order
to raise the amount twenty-five persons wpnt on a joint notp for $.) each-
Messrs. Adam Doupe, J. \V. Jermyn, ,T. .T. Jermyn, .fames :Mc
eiI1, Henry
Trout,
eil Langford, .Tohn Ashcroft, G. Bingham, and others whose
names have not been learned. )[essrs. Doupe and Jermyn were instructed
to negotiate the loan, which necessitated their traveJling on foot to Owen
Sound as no conveyance was available. They secured the money. Shortly
after this some farmers in the vicinity of the contemplated village
opposed the proposed incorporation and a public meeting was called, the
hat was passed around and $12 collected to support the opposition move-
ment, which failed to have any effect. :Messrs. Bingham, Ashcroft and
J. W. Jermyn were appointed a deputation to proceed to Toronto to lobby
the bill through. They went via Own Sound, on the old narrow-gauge
railway. The trip took one whole day. The biII was given in charge of
Donalcl Sinclair, the then member of this riding for the local Legislature.
" .When 'Viarton threw off its swaddling clothes therp was not a cent
in the treasury. The minutes of the first council meeting were written
on paper and with pen and ink purchased by Messrs. Millar and ,T ermyn,
each giving five cents! That's the wa:,' the village of \\Tiarton was
started off.' '-Extract from Wiarton COllodion 8m/ani,..
RAILWAY REACHES WIARTON
225
for the new school-house, so that 'Viarton on entering into existence
as a separate municipality, did so with a debt of $13,000, a large
financial burden for an infant municipality. But the inhabitants
of 'Viarton have never been backward in assuming such burdens if
there was a prospect of the betterment of the town thereby. This
optimistic spirit has induced what many of 'Viarton's people think
the assuming of a burden of debt too large, considering the size of
the place. Certainly it resulted in the town having to ask the Legis-
lative Assembly in 1894 to pass an Act to consolidate the debt of
the town and extend the payment over thirty years. This relief, 80
asked for, was obtained.! The preamble of the Act passed states
the debenture debt to be, at that date, $43,199, with no sinking fund,
and also a floating debt of $5,149. The lesson of the past was not
taken to heart by the sanguine-spirited people of 'Viarton, and long
ere the next decade had passed the debenture debt of Wiarton had
passed into six figures. 2 The chief cause of this increase of indebted-
ness was the financial assistance given by the town to the beet sugar
refinery, of which more will be said later on.
'l'he prospect of the railway reaching the village was one long kept
dangling before the eyes of its inhabitants. The Stratford and Lake
Huron Railway (originally chartered in 1855) lacked capital from
the very first; then, after the construction of the railway began, for
some reason the government withheld the bonus which was expected
and calculated upon to help to build the road. Some townships,
Carrick for instance, refused to grant a bonus. So the company had
to ask those municipalities that had manifested a willingness to grant
financial assistance for an additional bonus. It was not until the
Grand Trunk Railway leased the road, l\Iay, 1880, that it seemed
assured that the railway would be completed. To comply with the
time limit, and so obtain the promised bonuses, the track layers
pushed on their work and reached 'Viarton November 29th, 1881.
'Vithout loss of time a locomotive and some flat cars entered the
village, crossing Frank street about 6 p.m. of that day, having on
board J. C. Boyd, of Simcoe, Superintendent of Construction. The
conductor was William Cook and the engineer LT oshua 'Vilson. After
success to the enterprise had been drunk in lag('r beer, the train
departpd south, and work on the line ceased for the season. At this
time, and for a number of months, Chesley was the northern ter-
157 Vic. Chap. 86.
'On Dec('mber 31st, 1905, the debenture inc1ebtedn('ss was $147,735.16.
n
226
FOREST FIRES
minus of the line, the road not being opened for traffic to \Viarton
until August 1st, 1882. This line of rai
way has proved one of the
most profitable branches in the Grand Trunk Railway System. It
has also done much to make Wiarton what it is, the commercial
entrepôt for the peninsula.
That the newly opened railway might obtain its share of the lake
traffic enlarged wharfage accommodation was needed. Pressure was
brought to bear on the Dominion Government, with the result that a
grant of $35,000 was made. This the village supplemented with $1,500
from the sale of debentures. \V ork on the new wharf was commenced
in 1882, and completed in August of the following year. The new
wharf had a frontage of 1,040 feet, a'breadth of 18 to 25 feet, and
extended into the water so as to give 18 to 25 feet depth of water along
the front. It is said that the total cost was upward of $60,000. By
how much the government supplemented its original grant the author
cannot say. The increase of wharfage accommodation resulted in an
increase of shipping, followed by \Viarton being erected into an
Out-post of Customs, under the survey of the Collector at Stratford.
This was done September 26th, 1882.
\Vith such a large number of frame buildings it is surprising
that Wiarton has not suffered severely from fires. Possibly the nar-
rowest escape it had was on August 31st, 1881. The preceding
Bummer had been very dry. The smoke of destructive bush fires
was to be seen in every direction. Urged on by a strong wind the
fires approached the village. The air was filled with smoke so dense
as to be almost suffocating. Nearer and nearer the flames came,
until the villagers in self-preservation had to turn out and fight
them. In this they were partially successful, but one house, that
of E. C. Jones, was burned down. Fortunately the wind blew in
such a direction that the saw and grist mills were not seriously
imperilled, but much of the beautiful growth of timber below and
on top of the cliff was burnt, a loss that will take many years to repair,
as over considerable areas nearly all the soil was also burned away,
and for lack of it the trees and verdure can never be the same.
As a measure conducive to the public health, as well as for fire
protection, it was decided in 1887 to construct a system of water-
works for the town. The system was installed shortly afterwards,
and has been largely extended as the town enlarged and the need
for pure water and adequate fire protection became more generally
recognized. The plan decided upon provided for water being pumped
THE PRESS
227
direct from the bay into the mains, the engine automatically main-
taining the requisite pressure. In 1904 further improvements were
made in the system by the construction of a reservoir and by placing
the pumps further down the bay, so as to be certain of obtaining
pure water. The cost had been heavy, but the citizens have acted
wisely in inaugurating a system which gives them abundance of that
necessity of life, good water.
'Viarton's first newspaper was The Echo, published by George
Bingham and Colin F. Campbell. Its initial number bears date of
4th July, 1879. The ownership of The Echo has changed hands
several times during the vicissitudes and struggles a local newspaper
encounters in its limited field. In 1885 S. 'V. Cross became the
sole proprietor and successfully conducted the paper for ten years.
At present The Echo is edited and published by A. Logan. The
Encore was the name of the next journal published at Wiarton. It
had an existence of about three years, but failing to attain the success
of The Echo, it ceased publication in October, 1892. About the same
time as The Encore was issued a paper called The News was pub-
lished by H. T. Butler; this journal also failed to obtain patronage
sufficient to warrant the publication of it being continued. The
U Wl.ton Oanadian datcs back to 1893. Its founder was A. l\Iegraw,
who for a number of years previous had met with good success as the
publisher of the Paisley Advocate. The north riding of Bruce being
largely Conservative in politics, and as the new paper advocated in
an able manner Conservative principles, it met with success, and
continues to flourish, "T. J. 'Vhitlock being the publisher at present.
For many years the sole banking business of Wiarton was con-
ducted by G. W. .Ames & Co., private bankers, first estahlished in
June, 1
RO. The need of a chartered bank hping much felt, applica-
tion was made to several of the large banking institutions of the
country to establish a branch at \Viarton. but with no success until
1892, when the Union Bank opened a branch with E. W. Burinot as
manager. Ten years later the Canadian Bank of Commercp also
decided to open a branch and at the same time to advertise itself by
erccting a handsomp building. \ ccntral po
ition on Bprford
Street wn
ohtninpd, and a building prpded thAt i
an ornament to
the town.
Owing to the continued growth of population an enlarged accom-
modation for the' pupils attending the school was necessary, and the
School Roard in 1885 asked the VillAgc Conncil to raise $2.000 for
228
HIGH SCHOOL
this purpose. This the Council of that year refused to do. The
clash of these representative bodies created quite a little excitement
at the time. The Council of the following year was more amenable
to the educational interests of the town than its predecessor, and
raised the necessary amount. The public school building of Wiarton
to-day, one of eight rooms, is certainly a very handsome structure,
and a credit to the town. In 1891 Wiarton was set apart by the
County Council as a high school district; this was after a very close
contest with Paisley. The old public school building, an excellent
stone structure and much enlarged, is now occupied as the high
school. The following gentlemen composed the first Board of High
School Trustees: D. G. Millar, R. M. Fisher, M.D., Rev. T. S. Camp-
bell, J. Paterson, J. Walmsley and A.
1. Tyson. The first head
master of the high school was T. H. Farrell, succeeded October 1st,
1892, by Henry De La 1fater.
In 1893 the inhabitants of Wiarton found they were numerous
enough to take unto. themselves the privileges and honor of a town.
The preliminary proceedings were taken that year,1 with the result
that since the 1st January, 1894, Wiarton has been numbered among
the towns of the province. In a footnote 2 are to be found the names
of the heads of the municipality, whether as reeve or as mayor, from
its first incorporation as a municipality to 1906.
At the time of the opening of the railway an issue of The Echo
gives a paragraph of Wiarton's wants. Among them are the follow-
ing: a village hall, a town bell, and mails to be carried by the rail-
way. These have all been supplied. In December, 1888, the muni-
cipality bought the back part of lot 13, west of Berford and south
of Division Streets, on which they erected a building to contain the
fire-fighting apparat.us, a tower for a bell, and a hall in which the
village Council could meet. This building did service for the above
purposes for a number of years. In 1899 the front part of the same
lot, on which stood a building known as "The Robinson Hall," was
IThe Lieutenant-Governor's proclamation of incorporation bears date
14th December, 1893. It came into effect on 1st January, 1894.
'Reeves-David Dinsmore, 1880, '81, '82; Hiram Brown, 1883; A. M.
Tyson, 1884, '85; C. V. Parke, 1886, '87; Hiram Wigle, 1888, '89; B. B.
Millar, 1890; D. M. Jermyn, 1891, '92; James Hunter, 1893, '94, '95;
James Symon, 1896.
Mayors-B .B. Millar, 1894; D. M. Jermyn, 1895, '&6; James Hunter,
1897 and 1905; Charles Reckin, ]898; S. A. Perry, 1899; James Symon,
1900; G. Kastner, 1901; William Bernie, 1902; G. S. Sinclair, 1903, '04;
S. J. Cameron, 1906.
)[ANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
:229
thrown on the market. The opportunity offered was. seized, and
for a very moderate sum the town bought the building, which is one
exceedingly well suited for a town hall. An addition was built in
which there is a handsome council chamber on the second storey,
while underneath is a lock-up and fire hall. The present town bell
was put into position in August, 1900. It cost something like $412,
weighs 832 pounds, and hangs in a tower 75 feet high, adjoining the
hall.
Among the important industries of Wiarton is that of the manu-
facture of furniture, several large factories being in constant opera-
tion. We have to look back to 1879 to find the pioneer firm of this
industry, Messrs. Falk, :Morlock & Wegenert, who in that year started
\Viarton's first furniture factory. Another industry was started the
same year, namely the "\Viarton 'Voollen Mill," William Turner
being the owner of the same. In 1880 or 1881 the Vulcan Foundry,
owned by George S. Sinclair, added another to the successful
industries of the town.
The Dominion Fish Co. has its central packing plant located at
Wiarton. Here are frozen and packed all the fish taken at some ten
stations operated by the company, scattered around the Georgian
Bay and the :Uanitoulin Island. As the stations have from two to
three tugs each, engaged in setting and lifting nets, it can easily be
credited that about 120,000 pounds of fish per week are received at
Wiarton. A visit to this large establishment is most interesting.
"The Wiarton Beet Sugar Manufacturing Company, Limited "1
was incorporated 21st October, 1896, with a capital of $150,000,
increased to $500,000 by letters patent on 10th October, 1901. After
the obtaining of a charter it took several years to thoroughly con-
vince the public of the feasibility of the undertaking, to show that
beets grown in the vicinity gave an exceptionally high percentage f)f
sugar; that. owing to the facilities for shipping by water the area
from which beets could be shipped, with profit to the grower, was of
great extent. These advantages decided many to take stock in the
company. Of these a large number were farmers, who were asked
to pay only 5 per cent. of amount of stock subscribed for in cash,
the balance to be paid in beets. The Colonial Construction Company
of Detroit undertook to erect and equip the factory. Ground for
building operations was broken in October, 1901, and in the follow-
IThe original ('harter was in the name of { { The Owen Sound Sugar
Manufacturing Company."
2-:30
BEET SeGAR FACTORY
ing spring the walls were being built. On June 5th, 1902, the corner-
stone was laid by James Mills, President of the Ontario Agricultural
College, Guelph. The principal buildings erected are of stone, the
main building being four stories in height, two hundred and forty
feet long, and one hundred and twenty feet wide, sixty-six of this
being four stories in height, and fifty-four being of one and two
stories. To the north of the main building is the sugar storage
warehouse, also of stone, one storey high, two hundred feet long by
seventy-five feet wide. On the south side of the main building are
located the beet store-houses, having a capacity of six thousand tons.
Besides these huge structures, there is a cooper-house, an office, and
other necessary buildings. There is also a wharf and a railway
switch, so that everything was provided. for the economical handling
and receiving of supplies, and for the shipping of the finished pro-
duct. The factory was also fitted throughout with the best machinery
known to the trade. A large acreage of beets was secured in 1902,
and great were the hopes for the success of the enterprise. Unfor-
tunately, the contract with the Colonial Construction Co. called upon
them to run the factory for the first season. What was the result?
Because of the improper installing of the machinery, and because of
the manager not understanding the business,. less than half of the
quantity of sugar was obtained from the beets that might have been
secured if he had been competent. It is said that fully $50,000
worth of juice and beets was carried by the sewers into the bay. At
the end of the first season the board of directors faced a 10Sß of over
$63,000. 'Vhat was to be done? The town, which had given at the
outset of the undertaking a bonus of $25,000, was now asked to grant
a loån of $25,000, which it did. To supply needed capital, private
individuals entered into bonds for $110,000 in addition. A new
superintendent was secured, and the season of 1903 was entered upon
with the hope that at last success was in sight, but alas! the enter-
prise seemed to have some fatality attached to it, and the season
ended as unfortunately as the previous one. The bondmen were
called upon to make good the bonds entered upon. January 12th,
1904, was the date fixed by the Union Bank to pay up. To the credit
of these gentlemen, it is to be recorded that not one of them failed
to respond. although the amounts were large, $4,000, $9,000, $10,000
and $12,000 being paid by different individuals, the smallest amount
being $750. It is questionable if any town of its size in the province
has e,er received such a financial blow. The loss amounted to about
"THE SPIRIT ROCK"
2:31
$2UU,000, made up as follows: The town bonus $25,000, the town loan,
$25,000, the bondsmen $110,000, and the balance in stock subscribed.
The courts ùecided in 1905 that thc farmcrs who haù takcn stock, 95 per
cent. of which was to be paid in beets, must make up in c
sh what
had not already been covered by cash and beets. This seems hard,
as it was not their fault that they could not, owing to the closing
of the factory, pay up according to the original agreement.
Unlike most localities in the county of Bruce, Wiarton has con-
nected with it an Indian legend entitled" The Spirit Rock." An
excellent recital of the old legend is to be found in the 1Viarton
Oanadian Souvenir, which thc author takes the liberty of transposing
to these pages. I t is as follows:
" 8ituated between Wiarton and Whicher's Point, the Spirit Rock
can be seen quite distinctly from the bay. On the face of the cliff,
standing out in bold relief, the crevices and stains have depicted
a woman's face, above which there is a blasted pine. There is a
tradition in connection with the rock. A squaw, the daughter of a
chief of one of the tribes whose hunting ground was in the imme-
diate vicinity of Colpoy's Bay, of whom now only a few relics remain,
was carried off by an Eastern tribe. who bore her miles away and
condemned to a life of drudgery this daughter of a hated foe. The
Eastern chieftain passed one day while she was singing a sad, plain-
tive song. The song, the youthfulness and attractiveness of the
maiden, wakened in the chieftain's breast feclings of admiration and
love. He released her from her bondage, and with simple rites the
chief and maid were wed. The warriorB of the tribe were angered
at thi
union :mil plottNl f;0 effectively that dire disaster met the bride
and her consort. Her warrior chief was stricken from her side, but
she escaped and wandered back to her tribe, arriving weary and foot-
sore, but only to be refused admittance into the band, as she by
becoming the willing bride of their deadly foe had brought rlishonor
on herself.
" For hours she stood upon that ro('ky }wight,
Till night's dark curtain Iw'] shut out the light
.\n<1 hid th(' crupI ro('ks fr..m sight.
Thl'n, with a ('r,r like a lost soul in "\\oe.
Hhc sprang to Iwr death antI lll'r grave bplow,
\\'hile moaning winds lIIurlllurpd a funprft.l strain.
.\ nit
ighing W:iVPS l'ehOl'd a sad refrain."
CHAPTER XIV.
T01rNSHIP OF ALBEJL1RLE.l
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT O}' COüÌ'<TY YALUATORS, 18ï9.
" The east side of this township is rock, with onl,)' a few stony farms
scattered through it; the west side is sand and swamp. It has very little
village property. The average price per acre is about $4."
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY YALUATOR3, 19U1.
" In .Albemarle there is a slIlall spction of fair land at Mar, but rock
and stone seems to crop up e,'er,Ywhere, and roads arc bad. Large sections
of these townships are less yaluable now than twelve
rears ago, and the
outlook is not bright. The rate per aCI.e is $3.23."
AN examination of the map of Albemarle shows that two differ-
ent lines of survey met at lot 1 0 2 on each of the concession lines. The
southerly part of the township was surveyed for Charles Rankin by
George Gould, in the latter part of the fall of 1855, after he had
finished his share of the survey of the township of Amabel. The
northern part of Albemarle was surveyed by the party of surveyors
who surveyed the township of Eastnor. The only town plot laid out
in the township was that of Adair, on Hope Bay, which contained
2,025 acres. A town, however, failed to develop there, so in response
to a petition the County Council, in 1879, urged the Indian Land
Department to have the town plot sold as farm lands. This was
acceded to, but not until the town and park lots had first been offered
for sale at auction at Owen Sound in October, 1880. In 1887 only
191 acres of the whole town plot had been cleared, and in that year
it was re-surveyed into farm lots.
The peninsula to the east of Albemarle geographically belongs
to the township, but it has been set apart as an Indian reserve. It
contains 15,586 acres, and is known as the Cape Croker Reserve.
Particulars respecting it are to be fOlmd in Appendix C.
1(' Albemarle" is the title of Lord Bury's family, the Earls of Albe-
marle. The Lord Bury referred to so frequently in this History became
the seventh Earl of Albemarle.
2Mr. Andrew Weir, ex-reeve, says that his farm shows that lines of
survey met at lot 15, but the maps do not indicate this.
234
.'
'
J
1
;
" \
// ;.
//// i
,
// !
! Il
m 'f
b 1 ffií1 \ \
. -}'" I
I I . \ '.
r Q>" .
./I
DI:J
tI' ..
/ :t:::=.' T 1 1
!'" I "
.
,// ,1><1 \'\
:t<
.
. ,t
, \
I I I !
! I \!
.\
I I 11.,(
: \ i \:,\ \\ \
't.
TIry I I '--- \ \\\
\\
I
;
'-""
'."\
O'
I
I (I
t
'-.....
\\\
-,-....;
: I
I
f':' I I I ! ';
;.,
'" ... · · · '::' I I
: i I '" êj;
1 1
1
11 1
I
...
.:; IJf "'
I þ..
.
f\ .,
. ,
'\) , .
I /""1 \
'\
- "..;> '4 /G
IÞ-
;;:
j.....
I I \, -IJ
....
IV il a, 21
--" \ -::-
I -
..... þ. j f
,..,., fn1,
k\,1......? ..:::.
'
.
-, ] .
t ..
I I< L I
I I
:.
,:
.
.\j
1f
I / I
I-
..\'
.
;: "' ) )'.
', t
.-:....
'I );r I I'\
""
\
"\...",:;.,J.-
-
J
.\...'-. '\..;:.s.. J - I .
-- 1
1
X ÁI
It !
z
Q -
::::.. ..
'-'
- Q .. .........- Q:
..'
I,
......
If
-
, \
II InJ?-
;
I . !"!'
,,
Ih(pv
'
. ft-
r<
1 j
-:: :)\
y
.. /?.. ::.
-:
'::=J
-
'I
I
I.
I
:
I
I
I
!
L
I
FIRST SETTLERS
237
In December, 1857, the first settlers in the township took up
their lands. They were John \Vood and Samuel Atkinson, who
settled on lots 31 and 30, concession 8, E.B.R. In the month of May
following they were joined by five families, who were brought over
from Owen Sound by the steamer Oanadian. These were Rev.
Ludwick Kribs,l Henry Kribs, Caleb Spragge, Joseph Stringer and
Ludwick Spragge. Of these the last-mentioned is the sole survivor.
Late in the fall of 1857 Henry Kribs and Joseph Stringer went to
Owen Sound in a sail-boat to obtain supplies for their families and
others of the infant settlement. On their return trip they were
caught in a storm too severe for their small craft to successfully
encounter, and the unfortunate men found a grave in the cold waters
of the Georgian Bay.
In the summer of 1858 Leonard Gleason commenced to build a
saw-mill at Colpoy's Bay. He had only to move across from Oxenden,
where he had previously resided, having been sent there a year or
two previous by the Indian Department to show the Indians how to
erect and run a saw-mill. The establishing of this first-mentioned
saw-mill, followed shortly after by the erection of a saw and grist
mill by I.udwick Kribs, had the effect of centring the trading of
the settlement at the little village that now bears the name of 001-
poy's Bay. _\. post-office was opened there in 1863, L. Kribs being
the postmaster. At one time it was expected "Colpoy's" would
become the town Wiarton now is. Seeing it had ten years of a start,
these expectations seemed warranted, but such hopes have not been
realized. The village has made no progress for many years, and
being so near to the larger town at the northern terminus of the
railway, there is little chance of further development.
The inflow of settlers into Albemarle h
never been large when
compared to that experienced by the more fertile townships to the
south. AB stated in a foregoing paragraph, Albemarle received its
first settlers in 1857. Four years later, when the census of 1861
was taken, the population was only 54 souls all told. This number
in 1871 had increased to 678. Since then the ccnsus returns exhibit
a slow but constant increase, showing in 1901 a population of 19G2,
or almost three timcs that of 1871. The several localities which
received the earliest settlers were; first, in thp vicinity of "Col-
poy's," next between the Amabel boundary find the centre of the
IIn lR52, and for somc subsequcnt
cars, Mr. Kribs acted as a mission-
ary to the Indians nt Colpoy's Bay, working undcr the auspices of the
Congregational (,hurch.
23t)
MUXICIPAL AFFAIRS
towllship in the vicinity of .:\Iar, and, at a lateI' date, near Purple
Valley. rrhe earliest road opened was that on the town line between
Amabel and Alhemarle, thence north through )lar to Eastnor; the
full extent of this was done by the end of the sixties. l The roaù to
Cape Croker reserve was also one early opened. The opening of
other roads has been ù.one gradually as required.
Albemarle was united for municipal purposes to the united
townships of Arran and ...\..mabel by a by-law of the United Counties
Council, passed 2gth Del:ember, 1857. This union lasted for three
years, when Amabel and Albemarle were separated from Àrran by
a by-law passed September 26th, 1860. On June 18th, hH)U, thi.s
latter union was dissolved and Albemarle and Eastnor were united
into one municipality. To the corporation of these two townships
an addition was made June 21st, 1872, by uniting to it the town
hips
of Lindsay and St. Edmunds. On June 8th, 1877, the three northerly
townships were erected into a separate municipality, and for the fir.st
time .Albemarle was free from a partnership in municipal affairs.
The first reeve of the united townships of Amabel and Albemarle
was Ludwick Kribs. To attend the meetings of the United Counties
Council at Goderich he had to make the following roundabout jour-
ney: He first of all sailed to Collingwood and there took the Northern
Hailwa
- to Toronto, thence by Grand Trunk and Buffalo and Lake
Huron Railways to Goderich. He was allowed on the pay sheet for
a mileage of between 200 and 300 miles. The necessity of travelling
such a roundabout route speaks conclusively as to the impassable state
of the roads throughout the county of Bruce in the early sixties.
On January 1st, 1870, Albemarle having been separated from
Amabel, became the senior township of the northern townships on
the Peninsula which formed the new municipality then created.
The first reeve was Thomas H. Lee. 2 while the two offices of clerk
and treasurer were filled by John Shackleton.
When the time came (at the end of 1877) for the breaking of
1This road was largely opened out by the Government; Hiram Parker,
of Southampton (subsequently the first settler at Golden Valley), was
the contractor; William Bull was the inspertor of the work.
:!The following are the names of those who have filled the office of
reeve of Albemarle-Thos. H. Lee, 1870, '71. '72, '73; Ludwick Spragge,
1874, '75, '76 and '77; .T ohn Shackleton, 1878, '79; .T ohn H. Whicher,
1880, '81, '83, '84; Dr. H. Wigle, 1882; John McIver, 1885, '86, part of
1888, '89 and 1895; Thomas Rydall, 1887 and part of 1888; Eph. Cross,
1890; T. S. Cotton, 1891, '92; Andrew Weir, 1893, '94, '96, '97 and 1900;
Thomas Crane, 1898, '99; William Chisholm, 1901. '02; .T ohn Pruder, 1903,
'04; E. Andrews, 1905; John Ashcroft, 1906.
LOCAL !\ AMES
239
the municipal tie which united Eastnor, Lindsay and St. Edmunds
with Albemarle, trouble arose over the finances and four years of
litigation and arbitration followed, the costs of which ran up into
the thousands.! The settlement was finally reached in July, 1881,
at a joint meeting of the Councils of the two municipalities, held
at the" Half-way House" (W. Colwell's), when on motion of F.
W.
tuart and R. Davidson, the united townships of Eastnor, Lind-
say and St. Edmunds agreed to pay the township of Albemarle $300,
in two payments ( January 1st, 1883, and January 1st, 1884), with
interest, in final settlement of claim. Each party to pay their costs
of suit. This offer the Albemarle Council accepted and so closed
this long and veÀatious litigation, which might have been settled
by the same method years before, and saved the large sums paid in
law costs.
The report of the county valuators in 1
79 cnabled thc people
in the north to sce that they had been too highly assessed by the
County Council in the past; on this being pointed out, a committee
was appointed, which reported that for five ycars the assessment
of the northern townships had been too high, and recommended
that 50 per cent of the indebtedness of each municipality on account
of rates be rpmittcd. (The amount of imlehtcdness of Albemarle on
the 1st JallUHr) previolls was $2,781.ß'ì.
howing arrears for about
four years.) The rcmi
ion of
1.'?9'
. 7
of county rates proved a
great rplipf to the financcs of the municipality.
There are not many names in .Albemarle of which the origin
('an hp gin'n. "\f r. ,1011ll 'L \[('Xahh, of :--;ol1thampton. says that
Cape f1rokpr hears the nanle of John \rihson Croker, who wa
ec-
retary to the Admiralty; and Colpoy's Bay of Sir John lolpoy, an
aclmiral in the British Navy, both names being bestowed by Capt.
TIayfipld <luring his survey of Lake Huron and Georgian Ray.
Prior to thi
the bay wa-; called Sturgeon Bay. and is so Ilanll'd in
a map now in the Departnwnt of Archives at ()ttl1\\ a, prepared in
] ;
'"! for Lieut.-Covernor Simmer
The prospects for the future of .\lhcma.rlC' can ha.rdly be said
to be as hright as those C'herished hy the mOfL
ollthpr1y townships;
thf' extf'nt of rocky land prec1uùe8 the thought of it. The past has
"itnf'
pcl thf' lumnerman gathpr in ril'h rl'Ìl1rn:-: fròm IlL'r forest!;;,
an(l HIP c1t'arp(1 farm
. \\ hp1"(' the Innc1 1m, ])(\('n arahlp. h:1\"c wdl
lTht' tlt'tails of tht'
nit an' to h(' found in 4.ï ancl 46 U. C. Qn('('11 '8
]klwh U..ports.
240
A FINE FARM-BOUSE
repaid the labor expended thereon. This is attested by the numerous
comfortable farm-houses to be seen throughout the township. One
of these, it might be said in passing, is possibly the finest up-to-date
farm-house in the whole county, namely, that of Mr. John :McIver,
and there a hospitality is extended by the owner and his good lady
that accords with their big and handsome house. }'fr. :McIver's
success has come from engaging largely in stock raising, and it is
m
st probable that the future prosperity of Albemarle will be in
carrying out this branch of farming.
...
c:I
::-
CHAPTER XV.
TOWNSHIP OF EAIiT.1YOR.l
EXTRACT FROM THE HEPORT OF C'OU
TY Y ALüATORS, 1901.
" There is a great deal of good land in Eastnor, which shows decided
improvement since the last valuation, and in the near future will comlJare
favorably with any portion of the county, but a railroad is much needed,
espccially in regard to the shipment of stock and postal facilities. · 'Ve
think we are within the mark in saying that fully one-third of Eastnor
will be first-("lass land when thp present Jrainage Ic'ontracts are com-
l'leted, and the balance of what is known as the Eastnor swamp is cleared
up. The balance of tbe township, however, is very inferior, rock every-
where and timber gone, which leaves the lots (we cannot say land)
valueless. This statement applies largdy to the four northern townships.
Fir(' and lumbermen nave devastated these townships and have left behind
a barren waste.' ,
E_\::;T
OH pOSSe::iSeS phy::iÍcal featufæ peculiar
o itself among the
J11uuicipalities of the county. In it are to be seen as fine farms,
buildings included, as are to be found in the highly favored southern
townships of Bruce. At the same time iu it are to he found large
aI"l
aS of rock, as bare of soil as can be secn in any part of the
Peninsula. Us bays, deeply indenting the
oast line. rt'su1t in the
narrowest part of the county, e},.('epting near the point of th(' Pt.ninsula.
being found within its boundaries (the township i
le
than five
miles wiùe at the 35 side road), while in another part it:, extending
ppninsulas give to it a breadth (',-celled by only onl' otlll'l' towl1:,hip.
Although far north. yet it is le:-:s liahlp to summpl' frosts than town-
shir
furtJwr south; thi
i
hrcause of the large hodic:, of water on
each side of it. Tt
large swamps, thoug-ht at om' tinw to he a detri-
ment to the township, are now in a large IllCil:,llrp !lrainpd. and tllP
finest land is that which was only lately a swamp.
The first purchases of land in Eastnol' '\I'r(' lllllllt' in l
fi:!. hut
sdtlprs do not seem to have taken up their land:, until t
G!) or uno.
The fiTSt asse5!sment roll of the township, that for 1871, i
so interest-
1" This townRhip was nanwd in honor of .Tohn Somers ('oC'ks, Earl of
Som('rs, Viscount Eastnor of Eastnor Castle, r.ounty of H('reford, who waR
closely r('laÌ('d to the wife of Sir Edward \V. Head, the (1ov('rnor-G('neral
in 1855, who C'hos(' tl1(' narn(' of ' Eastnor ' for the township in C'omplinwnt
to hig wife's r('lationg."-" Nothin,rl hilt Xamul."
243
244<
FIRST SETTLERS
ing that extracts from it are here given. The roll contains eighteen
names,l three of which seem to have been non-residents. Six of
these ratepayers seem to have been alone on their clearings, while nine
had families. The total number of inhabitants, as given in the roll, is
fifty-one. Three ratepayers are entered as having clearings of five
acres each. One, that of ten acres; the rest had no clearings. Each
one hundred acres was assessed at the same amount, namely $100;
as there were twenty-three lots taken up, the assessment roll shows a
total of $2,300. This assessment was much increased in the roll of
1872, the amount there being $10,395, showing a marked advance.
The development of the township is noticeable in the next record
we shall quote, that of the county valuators, who in 1879 valued
the real estate in Eastnor at $133,448.
They who may be named as the first settlers in Eastnor, when
selecting their lands for settlement, seem to have favored the vicinity
of Lion's Head; the wave of settlement moved thence south as far
as the 20 side-line and adjacent lands, and thence westward to where
Spry is now. Francis Waugh, near Hope Bay, and Joseph Eveleigh
and Patrick Judge, at Barrow Bay, being exceptions.
Owing to the difficulty of access into the township by land, the
roads being in a deplorable condition for many years, most of the
traffic in the early days to points outside the township was by water.
The following are the names of some of the steamboats that in the
seventies or eighties visited Lion's Head and Barrow Bay. The
Okomoa, Captain Dunn, was one of the earliest vessels to be engaged
on the route between Owen Sound, Wiarton and the Peninsula. She
was succeeded about 1879 by the 1-Viarton Belle, and the latter boat
by the Comet, and that by the Annie 11'att and the ill-fated Jane
Miller. For the accommodation of these and other vessels it was
necessary that a wharf should be constructed at Lion's Head. Realiz-
ing this the townshi l-, in the summer of 1883, offered to pay what
sum was necessary to place material on the ground sufficient to con-
struct a dock 200 feet long, on condition that the government have
the work performed. The government in that year sent a dredge
to clear a channel, some 13 feet deep and 80 feet long, through a
1 As it may interest some to know who these eighteen were, their names
are here given, viz., .Joseph Andrew, John Cale, Allen Erwin, David Harris,
Thomas and Francis Hart, Francis and Michael Hagin, Thomas Harkness,
Robert :McCarter, George Moore, Jacob Schermahorn, Samuel Slack, L.
Sherlock, Richard Tackaberry, Wm. Tunan, Joseph Waugh and Francis
Waugh. As to which of the amove mentioned was Eastnor's :first settler
it is not known. George Moore and Richard Tackaberry each claimed it.
FIRST COUNCIL
245
bar that extended across the entrance to the harbor. This improve-
ment to navigation was supplemented by the construction of the
pier.
On 18th June, 1869, the township of Eastnor was by by-law of
the County Council united for municipal purposes to the township
of Albemarle. To this union of municipalities there was a further
addition made June 21st, 1872, when the County Council added
thereto the townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds. This large
municipality of united townships began to dissolve when on June
8th, 1877, the three northern townships were by by-law separated
from Albemarle, to bec0me a separate municipality on the 1st
January following, with Eastnor as the senior township.l These
three towns
ps remained united as one municipality until Lindsay
and St. Edmunds, having developed and attained to the required
qualifications within their own bounds, were set apart as a separate
municipality, and since that date, January 1st, 1883, Eastnor has
known nothing of a municipal partnership. The first township
council consisted of Francis Waters, William Freeman, Jos. Waugh
and Jamæ Elder, with David Scott, jun., as reeve,2 C. W. W. Dalton 3
as township clerk, and Richard Tackaberry as township treasurer.
The earliest attempt to establish a manufacturing industry in the
township was in 1874, when a saw-mill, built and run by Patrick
Judge, was put in operation at Barrow Bay. Some three years later
the same man had a grist-mill of one run of stones; this mill was
more used for "chopping" than for flour. In 1879 a bonus of
$1,600 was giw>n by the townships to Robert \\T att 4 to crect a grist
and saw-mill at Lion's Head. This mill was completed and running
in the month of July in the following year, and for years the hum
of its machinery might be heard until in an unfortunate fire it was
burned down in 1889. This mill has been replaced by an excellent
IT he first municipal election was heJd at thf' schoolhousc for S. S.
No.1, C. W. W. Dalton being returning officer.
2The follo\\ing are the names of those who 11av(' been rCf'ves of Bastnor
from I8iS onwarlls: Davifl Scott, 1878, 'ï9, 18RO; William Hale, 1881;
Robert Watt, lRS2, '84; Thomas Boylf', 18
3; .\Jex. Chisholm, 1885, '86,
1892, '93 and '94; F. 'V. Stf'wart. 1887; n. E. ,roorf', 18"8, '89, 1890, '91;
.r ohn H. Cook, 189.'), '96, '98, '99, 1900, '01 ana '0.'); Robert Rain, 18t17;
Thomas J. Bridgf', 1902, '03 and '04; W. B. Moshier, 19ü/).
ac. W. 'V. Dalton fined the offi('c of township rlerk until March, 1905,
when he removed from Eastnor to the Niagara District.
tHoLert '''att suhse'luf'utly became reeve of EaHtnor, anll later, while residing
at \\ïarton, he "as elected a COUlltV councillor, anll in HI03 warllf'n of the
county of Brure. In 1905 he retired from husint'ss, that of a saw-miller
and lum}}('rrnan, left \Viarton, and movel] to Toronto.
246
LION'S HEAD
roller-process mill built by a joint stock company. In 1883 Messrs.
Judge and Inksetter built a steam saw-mill at Barrow Bay, and there,
in 1892, the Barrow Bay Lumber Company built a large, roller-
process grist-mill. A number of saw-mills have at various timed
been put in operation throughout the township. some of which have
had to close down because of the growing scarcity of logs.
ßefore the village of Lion's Head had taken form, what was
known as Tackaberry's Corners (lot 20 and 21, concessions 4 and 5,
E.B.R.) was looked upon as the .. hub" of the township. Lion':;
Head in 1875 consisted only of the post-office (opened in August of
that year. with F. W. Stewart as postmaster) and one store, the
only store in the township. An old settler furnished the author with
a list of prices he had there paid for necessaries of life. As these
backwoods prices contrast markedly with those of the present day,
they are here given as received: Axes, $2.50 each; coal-oil, 50c. a
gallon; salt, 5c. lb.; tobacco, $1.25 lb.; tca, lowest price, 75c. per lb.;
pork, 19c. lb.; scythe stones, 37 1-2c. each.
The village of Lion's Head takes its name from the resemblance
to a lion's head to be discerned on a rocky cliff lying about a mile
east of the harbor. At one time the resemblance was quite marked,
but the action of the elements is causing the likeness to fade away.
As noted in a previous paragraph, in 18.5 the village consisted only
of a store and post-office. A visitor in the fall of 1879 states that
there was then in course of erection a number of dwelling-houses,
two hotels, a store. a grist-mill and a planing-mill, while there was
in operation a saw-mill, a pump factory, two stores and a blacksmith
shop, the stores being run by F. \V. Stewart and George P. Webster,
while the population was estimated to be about 100. Another visitor
in 1882 estimates the population as 200, with two hotels, one a brick
building, and five stores. The spiritual needs of the residents at
Lion'iS Head and vicinity seemed to have been first attended to by
a Rev. :Mr. Leggett, a 1tlethodîst minister. The Presbyterians seemed
to have been a little later in entering upon this field, but met with
strong support. and erected the first church edifice in the township.
The first minister of this denomination to labor in this field "as the
Rey. \V. ::\1. Rogers; this was in 18.9. He was followcd hy a 1fr.
McKibbon, a student from one of the Presbyterian colleges, in the
summer of 1880, the services hcing held in the f;ummer months in
the old \Vebster mill, and when the weather became unsuitable for
services there they were held in the house of )Ir. Robert Watt, where
also was held the first tea-meeting in the settlement. A )Ir.
Iarr,
DERENTL"HES
47
another student, filled this field in the summer of 1881, and in the
following year the Hev. jir.
IcLennan was inducted as pastor of
the congregation, which already had erected a church building
22 x 40 feet. This building was dedicated :May 22nd, 1h81. This
congregation wa:o. aùvanceù to the statu::: of a self-sustaining congre-
gation when the Rev. T. A. Nelson wa.s inducted as its pastor January
10th, 1905. The Church of England had a representative stationed
at Lion's Head in the person of the Rev. )Ir. Hutchison in the fall
of 1882. He was succe
sful in stirring up his flock to proceed to
the erection of a church edifice, the foundation stone of which was
laid l\Iay 3rd, 1t)83. The building is 50 x 26 feet, built of frame on
a stone founùation. and e:xhibits good taste in its architecture. Not
far from this church eJifice is to be seen the Eastnor township hall,
a \ery neat structure, erected in 1897, and admirably fitted for
public gatherings. It is claimed tù be the best township hall in the
county. .
When the County Council in 1879 made a refund to the four
northern townships of part of their arrears of county rates, on
account of. previous over-assessment during the five years preceding,
the united townships of Eastnor, Lindsay and
t. Edmunds receh-ed
a rebate of $438.76, which was a very welcome relief to an impover-
ished municipality.
Eastnor, although not a wealthy township, has from the first
exhibited a broad-mindedness in the matter of public improvements
that is cOIHIIl('mlahle. The first step ill this direction was the giving of
a honl1
of $1.(ìOO towards thp erecting of a grist-mill at Lion's Head.
Thic; was followed by an issue of debentures amounting to $6,000
to improve the roads. The three extensive drainage schemes within
thp township have also cost a large sum. Tn an, Eastnor has issued
dphpntures to the amount of $34,000, aU for public improvements,
as shown in a footnote. l 'Vhen the townships of Lindsay and St.
JIÆ;;;T OF DF.BFNTURF.S ISSUED BY THE TOWNSHIP OF EASTNOR.
In the year 1879 To bonus a Grist Mill ............,.........
] HSO For improving public roads ..................
1i;
4-8;; Judge Creek Drainage Scheme ............
1 S96 Fern Crf'f'k Drainage Scheme . _ . _. ...........
1901 .Tudgf' Creck Drainagf' SC'heme, 2nd issue....
1906 Judge Creck Drainage Schemf', 3rd issuf'....
1 fl06 Fern ('reck Drainage Scheme, 2nd issue ......
1 fl06 Swan J.ake Drainage Sc!H'mc .............,...
1906 For Granolithic Ridf'walks at Lion's Head.,...
$1,600
6,000
7,200
2,300
10,000
2,800
] ,200
],400
1,500
$
4,OO()
In addition to the ahove the various school s('ctions have issued df'ben-
tur('s to f'reLt <;C' hool houses.
24
DRAIN AGE
Edmunds separated from Eastnor they were, with the latter town-
ship, liable for the two first issues of debentures above-mentioned,
amounting to $7,600. The arrangement arrived at at the time of
separation was somewhat as follows, namely: Eastnor, as the senior
township, was to assume this indebtedness, and Lindsay and St.
Edmunds agreed to pay three-eighths of the required annual rate
to Eastnor during the seventeen years the debentures had to run.
Of the several drainage schemes of the township, that known as
the Judge Creek Scheme drains the land back of Barrow Bay, the
Fern Creek Scheme the lands lying west of Lion's Head, and the
Swan Lake Scheme lands lying north-west of Lion's Head. The
lands to be benefited are expected to become in time the garden of
the township. The engineering difficulties met with in the Judge Creek
drain consisted in the enlarging of the bed of the creek by blasting
the rock, an undertaking of some magnitude. This was done by
a contractor from Toronto. The almost dead level of the land in
the Fern Creek district presented an engineering difficulty of another
sort, it being difficult to obtain the necessary fall for a rapid flow of
water.
Besides Lion's Head there are but three villages in Eastnor,
Barrow Bay, Spry and Stokes Bay, the last-mentioned being the
most flourishing of the three. John Shute has had part of lots 38
and 39, concession 3, W.B.R., surveyed and subdivided into the lots
which comprise the village of Stokes Bay. Sanguine expectations
are held as to the ultimate development of the village, as it has the
trade of a good part of Lindsay and St. Edmunds, and also a good
wharf, so that shipments can readily be made from there. The
lighthouse on Lyal Island, at the entrance to Stokes Bay, has been
a guide to mariners since 1885.
.
i
I;)
CHAPTER XVI.
T01VNSHIP OF LINDSAY.!
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1879.
,;, Lindsay and St. Edmunds. It would be difficult to place an,}" value on
these townships, as we have not seen any land fit for cultivation, and not
more than a dozen settlers, and one saw-mill in the whole of the two
townships. The greater part of the land that was purchased in these
townships was bought for the timber, and when that was taken off the
land was abandoned. ""e set it down at $1.50 per acre."
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY V ALUATOR:'3, 1901.
" Owing to tll(' limited time at our disposal, we are unable to give
cOlllp]ete reports of the townships of Lindsay and St. Edmunds. These
townships possess very little good land. St. Edmunds is largely a waste.
The inhabitants of Dyer's Bay and rrobermory sections are at a gn>at
disadvantage, being so far removed from a line of railroad, and the roads
It'ading to those p]a("es are in an almost impassable conditioll. Land is so
sparsely settled that It is utterly out of the powpr of the people of these
townships to maintain the roads. rl'heir lines have not fallen to them
in pleasant places, certainly not their concession lines."
THE first sale of lancls in the township of Lindsay was made in
the year 1870. Previou"" however, to any sale
of land the pioneer
settler of Lindsay, Abraham .West, had come into the township and
located. The land he selected was lot 5, concession 2, W.B.R., and on
that lot the first clearing in the township was made. The first
neighbor :Mr. West had was William Clark, who settled on land but
four lots south. The little settlement progressed but slowly in num-
bers; the census of 1871 gives the number of the inhabitants of the
whole township as twenty. By 1879, however, the population had
so grown as to warrant the establishing of a
e'hool section and the
building of a school-house. The filìSt Board of Trustees consisted
of John Kelly, George reasor and
\le'{ander McDonald. The school-
house, built of logs, was at cc Me'Donald's" (lot -1, con. 1, 'V.B.R.),
and the first teacher who therpin impartpd instruction was a
fiss
Hurst, who was succeeded by
[iss rhristie
tring('r.
lThe name this township lwars is flairl to haw' hp{>Jl given in honor of
:Earl Lindsay.
251
252
WANT OF ROADS
The roads in Lindsay could not at any time, by any stretch of the
imagination, be called good; in fact, it has only been in very late
years that it has been possible to drive safely a buggy on either of
the two main roads which lead through the township. The west side
main road of the Peninsula was opened through to Lindsay in the
year 1870, and that from Lion's Head to Dyer's Bay in 1880. The
following anecdote, related of one of the pioneers, will illustrate
the hardships they endured from lack of roads passable by a team: One
of the settlers went to Owen SounÇl and bought six bushels of potatoes,
which he had taken to Lion's Head by boat, and then had to carry
them on his back the rest of the way home, a distance of some nine
miles. Another undertook to carry home a barrel of flour. He was
not an especially strong man, so 4ad the flour placed in two bags.
One of these he would carry for a bit, and "while resting," as he
called it, would go back for the other bag and carry that up to or
beyond the first. This was repeated again and again until a number
of miles were covered and home reached at last.
A number of Lindsay's early settlers were young men of Highland
origin who came from the township of Huron. Prominent among
them was Alexander ),[cDonald, referred to more fully in a footnote. 1
I t was some ten years or more after the first settlers had located
in Lindsay before they had the luxury of a post-office in their own
township. Previous to 1881 they were dependent upon the post-office
at :Mar, Lion's Head or Spry for their supply of mail matter. In
the year just mentioned a post-office was established, known as
"Stokes Bay,"2 but at first located on lot 5, concession 2, W.B.R.,
Lindsay. In the same year" Dyer's Bay"3 post-office was established.
This proved a great convenience to those settled in the eastern part
of the township.
The municipal history of Lindsay is as follows: On the 1st
lAlexander !\fcDonaJd settled in Lindsay in 18ï7. He was for many
years reeve of the townshi.p and also county commissioner, which position
he fined at the time of his death, which occurred in June, 1903. Mr.
McDonald was an active Christian man and at the schoolhouse abovc
mentioned he started a Sunday-school, of which he was superintendent
until his death; he also, in the absence of a settled minister, conducted
regularly a weekly prayer-meeting; through his efforts a church buildi
g
was also erected. ''-Then Mr. McDonald first became reeve the townshIp
was largely i.n debt; unùer his judicious, cautious and economical guidance
this debt was much reduced.
2.Wm. Lyons was first postmaster; he was succeeded by .John Gibson, anti
he by John Shute, who held the office for twenty-three years.
3Thomas Tindall was first postmaster.
REV. \Y \1. FR.\:!F.R
p. -131
,
.\r.E"\..
kDo:-' \1.11
p, :!;;:!
B. B. :\1 n.I.t:K
p.221
.JOII' DOl ca. \:0.:0.
p 2r.!)
PIOXEERS
253
January, 1813, it became one of the townships in the municipality of
the united townships of Albemarle, Eastnor, Lindsay and St.
Edmunds. On the 1st January, 1818, the three northern townships
were separated from .Albemarle. On the 1st of January, 1883,
Lindsay and
t. Edmunds were erected into a separate municipality,
which union continued to exist until the 1st January, 1903, when
each of these two townships became separate municipalities. In a
footnote l are given the names of the various parties who have fined
the position of reeve for the united townships of Lindsay and St.
Edmunds, and since the separation as reeve of Lindsay. The deben-
ture debt of the three united townships at the date of the dissolution
of the union amounted to $1,600. The two united townships of
Lindsay and St. Edmunds, in settlement of the proportion of this
indebtedness due by them, agreed to pay to Eastnor an annual pay-
ment of $251.22 until the debentures matured, some seventeen
years later. The first Council of the united townships of Lindsay
and St. Edmunds consisted of Donald }'IcDonald, Alex. Patch, John
Shute, councillors, and Peter }'Ic Vicar, reeve. The joint office of
clerk and treasurer was held by James 'Veatherhead, and
\lex. Currie
was the first collector.
The following are the names of some of the pioneers of Lindsay,
in addition to those who are already mentioned: Kenneth Smith,
Roderick :l\IcLennan, John Kelly, John Ceasor, Donald :McLean,
Andrew Clarke, James Finch, James Nixon, John McArthur, Sam
Bestward, John Holmes, John Steip, John \Vitherspoon (postmaster
at :Miller Lake for many years), John Smith, James, William and
Alex. Weatherhead, Alex. Currie (township treasurer for several
years), Thomas Tyndall, 'Vil1iam Matheson, James W atson, John
Jackman, William McNair, John McDonald, John and James Shute
and Norman Smith.
From the very first lumbering has been the main industry in
Lindsay. Probably the first mill was that of Hiram Lymburner,
at Gillies Lake, erected in 1880, and which he and his sons operated
until 1905. Power was derived by widening and deepening the little
creek flowing from the lake; this enlargement was increased from
time to time as the demand for power made it necessary. The 1\[essrs.
IThe following are the names of the reeves of the township of Lindsay
and St. Edmunds: Peter McVicar, lR83; .J. Weatherhead, 1884, '86;
.Tnmes Shutp, I
R5; Alf>x. McDonald. lRR7, '88, '89, 1890, '91, '92, '93, '94,
'95, '96, '97, '98, '99, 1900; .John Shute, 1901, '02. As reeve of Lindsay,
Peter AMerson, 1903, '04, 'O!), '06.
254
MINUìG FOR SlLVEll
Lymburner showed a good deal of enterprise in launching a small
tug on Gillies Lake named the Gel,tie
used to tow rafts of logs to
the mill, this little boat being the second steamer ever used on the
inland waters of the county.
Lindsay is the only township in the county of Bruce in which
mining for precious metals has been carried on. In the early nineties
a :Mr. E. Clendening sank a shaft over 300 feet deep on lots 9 and 10,
concession 4, E.B.R. The work was continued for two summers and
one winter. Ore is said to have been found which showed some
silver, but not in sufficient quantities to pay for working it. Mr.
Clendening later on did some prospecting on lot 5, concession 2,
'V.B.R., but with similar results. Those who were engaged in this
prospecting supplied but little information to outsiders, so what is
hpre given is but from heart:ia}.
The amount of land in Lindsay that might be classed as good
farming land is not very large. A visitor to the township finds the
principal settlement therein between the fourth concession west of
the Bury Road and the fifth concession east of it, with a limit of
. about four miles in width north from the Eastnor boundary.
The following incident, the facts of which are given in the
1Vim,ton Canadian
although not strictly speaking an historical item,
yet deserves to be .recorded as an instance of motherly love and devo-
tion as manifested by one of the good wives of Lindsay. " Though
rattlesnakes are reported to be fairly plentiful in Lindsay and St,
Edmunds, fortunately accidents of a serious nature such as follow
the bite of these reptiles have not been numerous, and settlers have
become rather careless. On a warm day in August, 1902, a six-year-
old son of }'Ir. Robt. Bartley, residing north of Dyer's Bay, playing
about his home bare-footed and bare-legged to his knees, was so
unfortunate as to step on a three-foot snake, which was lying basking
in the sun. 'rhc mdí' fi" akening aroused the temper of the reptile,
and in a twinkling its fangs were buried in the child's leg. An angry
snake strikes very quickly, and before the child got beyond reach the
beast struck him ill five different places. His screams brought his
mother to the scene, and realizing the trouble and danger, instead
of fainting or going into hysterics, she bravely sucked the wounds,
tied a ligature tightly round the limb to stop the circulation of the
blood. then hitcheil a horse and started on a fifteen-mile drive to
Lion's Head with the boy. Before reaching medical aid at that
village the chil(1 W}l
nf>ar]y crazy from the pain caused by the ligature
NAMES
255
stopping the circulation in the limb, and his cries could be heard for
a long distance. But the heroic woman held on and fortunately
found Dr. Sloan at home. The wounds were cauterized and dressed,
and fortunately little or no ill effects resulted from this exciting
experience."
The origin of the following names in Lindsay are here given by
the author on what he considers good authority: Lake !\Iiller bears
the name of B. B. !\1iller, first Indian Land Agent at Wiarton;
Gillies Lake is called after John Gillies, :M.P. for North Bruce in
the seventies; Cabot Head is said to have been named by Governor
Simcoe in honor of Cabot, the discoverer of Canada. The light-
house at this point was established in 1896.
CHAPTER XVII.
TOWNSHIP OF ST. EDMUNDS.!
THE chapters in this volume which give the history of a town-
ship are in each instance prefaced by extracts from the report of the
county valuators, with the solitary exception of St. Edmunds. For
such information referring specially to St. Edmunds as is to be
found in these extracts the reader is referred back to the preceding
chapter, because the valuators in every report have joined Lindsay
and St. Edmunds together, and it is impossible to separate the
general remarks of the valuators and apply specially to Lindsay or
St. Edmunds.
Although further north than Lindsay, St. Edmunds seems to have
been but little behind it in receiving its pioneer settlers, it being in
the summer of 1871 that Captain John Charles Earl 2 settled at what
is known as "The Big Tub." In November of the same year Captain
Earl had a companion come to share the loneliness of his pioneer
life in the person of Abraham Davis, who settled at Dunk's Bay.
These pioneers were joined at various intervals, in somewhàt of the
following order, by Captain Alexander Marks, Michael Belrose,
Jacob Belrose, George and Neil Currie, Robert, John C. and James H.
Hopkins, Thomas and George Bartman, Benjamin and Alexander
Butchart, Donald :l\IcDonald (first postmaster at ToberIDory) and
Benjamin and William Young. Mr. Solomon Spears (to whom the
lThi3 township is named after Bury St. Edmunds. There has been from
the first a disagreement as to the spelling of the name; the Toronto
Government officials giving "s" as the final letter, and the Indian Land
Office, Ottawa, spelling it without. The township, on its becoming incor-
porated, adopted the former method of spelling and calls itself "St.
Edmunds. ' ,
2The perfect safety with which vessels could lie in the basin at Tober-
mory has made it a much frequented harbor of refuge. For the con-
venience of navigators, Captain Earl made a practice of hanging a lantern
at the top of a high pole as a range light and so ensure safe navigation
to vessels when making the harbor. He was remunerated for this service
by various captains, they presenting him with useful house supplies, such
as a bag of potatoes, flour, or some coal-oil, etc. In the course of a few
years the Government acknowledged this service and paid him a salary
of about $30 a year.
256
,.... --
'"7'..., - -
..-;; - '- - - "\1'
Ä
-1'Û' .
- í
r< "
Tf .r.
<-...... \.1 r'-
\ ,- l "- . -<---., - 'ìs ' ',' T' <-:i'; , I (/ ) Ro
)
-!"-
-'- 'V
Y.:}) I(
?-
l
'
-e-J
o"'......x :'
. 't
;-::c- --= 0, o:
. .....
. "'r .fO -
"'Ol/Nksf .s -
. \
_t- - t i
- I'..... 8,'I}-
-
_;r _
_
"'" -: F
'77
. I
., r-\' ,. it C-O"E
1 '\0- 1 S-- I ---r- I _ _"/.,
'
'- --J -- - r,-: T I ])1) } I
1 -'-
- I,. T v I
I.. t5
/rrW
).1=" - 1"',." 000 c
A-"- : -r,
I
ï., -r"-
,
) \ Jl: -:r ""'" !.-;:
r-:;::- ,
' 8
""\\... ,i.., K,..:. _þ--......, --+ -=
IG 8.11>"':... I
... '-....L.." _'
.
-.J
-'( C'> -1=- \___
=; - F
I-- iI_ 2>_
-.J., L..'-I.
! _ - --=1- -t ---= :: - -1 - I -1'1,
\ ,y ---.,-
.,
l,rr'6E""", ""...
""'c-I--- -
'- -I L - - ,
J ...Ll-..... -;.!' t ' - - &ß/\ll PO/IV'
1'---"
I-- --I- _
-f--
.. J-\.
'\... '-',-- -I-- I ""'I-. -
--. n
" ð- S t
ÈlI
7W.lf
Æ,
. .
f I !}þ
- ."-j....
- :- - '- I
"'
m ..""
J"
....r,j.}:)
- '. __ ---I--I>=
fr
I ,1("...., -" _ _ _!........!.L. \... t'L':L-::
,\ ):7"
=Ë I
'
-=
..._
.. _ "
.
\ " ?.,,
\; -" I l' ]
_
" c-...
/ J 'S (":[-
=- :=- -=
- - c- I -
'_ r --f"="1I. " \
/ '1::)1--=1
'-':-
:
'1/';.- - -='
..J - - !1i 1 -P\' , ,
" / ft
'L ; P - -=t- :cr' '=-
-='
\
. -
- '::-,.,.-= --
: T
'" I-
VB ;,... '
'
),.r:
=
,, _ .
' \-:1 VI I T'r T7 U I r
. .......... 7 ,,
'-J...... _ -J
. 1..........._,
IJ
;" '
;.:,,
.:; , ....
, .
.. \:1'<4
---....'-.:; .
"
, I
'
:C9 J
. ";.
o/ ;
, O'
-..."...
/
-
10..
.
10
LU)IBERI-SG
2,:>9
author i
illlhbted for Ulany of the fad
eonneeted with the history
of St. Edmulld:-:) spttled in thl' to\\n
hip in
lar
h, It$t$3.
The lumbering' resour<:e:-, of :-;1. EdlllUlld
ha\e beL'n e\.ploitl'ù
to all l'xtent not equalled in any othcr towll
hip of the
OUllty. In
l
ì
l'o("k\,'ell & (;r(lllt erl'dcII a hU'g'e :-:aw-Ulill and shingll'-mill on
the Crane Hi\er, at what i:-, IlOW l'alle:l ..
Il;\ïl"ar'
:' This finn cut
a road from Pi Ill' Tn':.' IlarhOl" through the wl)o,l:-: for a di:-:hlll
e of
ten mil":,, to a point at ",hidl tl1<'Y Imilt tlwir ...:a W-Ul ill ; they al...:o
laid out a large
llIll in deanin:.r the ri\'cr su that the prodlll't' of
tlH'ir mill might be tloated do\\ n to till' harbor. Thi:-: mill a11l1 jt;;
limit:-: "'l're )lurdHl
('cl in l
:-;u by Pdt'r )[c.\Yi('ar,l who built anotIH'r
mill in the following' Yf'ar a
wi'll a
a wharf at .J ohnst()n'
Harbor.
In 1
t)1 a mill \\a:-: built at Tobl'rmory by Ml'
:,r:-:. )[aitland '-': Hi
OIl.
This mill \\ a:, burnt clown in
[areh. l
. but rebuilt in the :-:ame
}"l'ar by till'
aBle firm. who aftl'l' running it :,i
y('ar
III ()\'e (1 it to
O"en
I)und.
\bl)ut 1
!1
the
outham}ltun Lumber Company built
a :-,a\\-mill at PilH' Tree Harllor. In 1
!1;-) a mill \\.1.'" huilt at Tober-
mory by Hi(.hanl Had
tone (
il1l'(, pUI"('ha:-:ed and I'un hy lIedor
Currie). In 1 !HHI allothl'f mill wa:-; el"l'ded by E. )1.
[l'ir:". and
anotlH'r in the following- .'"('ar by
[essr:-:. :-;im}l:o:un & l'ulbert, which
gave Tobl'rmor,\' thl"('('
aw-Blill:-: in ('on.;t.lIlt opl'ration. adding
IIlat('riall
' to tlw tradl' of tlIP \'illag-('.
Thf' po4-ot'lie(' at Tuul'l'mory wa
t'
tabli:-:hed in 1
1. thl' mail
being (.arrit'd OJ) foot frolll Stol\.t',.: Bay.
[r. Ht'njamill Butdwrt W.b
tIll' fir4 maiI-('.lrl'il"'.
t. E111I1lllllI:-:' tir
t
dlOOI W<1:O; ol'l'Ill',l in IH
:
.
Its fil":o:t Hoafll of Trn:-tt't':-o \\'Pl"t' )Iiehael BI'lrllst" j)ol1ald
h'})onalù
anll .J aeo}, Bt'lro:-:e. The fir:-:t teacher \\ as a
[i:-:
Ella Conklin.
.\
a :'l'pan1tp Jl\lInieipality :-;t. Ecllllund:-: ha:-: l'xi:-:tl'(l :-,incl' the
l!'t of .Tanua ry. I !)O;;. ] t,.: pre\.iou::; Jl\ nn iei pal rplations arl' rda tCII
in the pn'("l'lling- ('}mpÌl'r. ft'fI'ITill,!! to thp to\\"Il
hip of Lincl...:ay. TIH'
fil":-:t I'I'I'\(' of tIlL' JI11Jllieipaiity was Solomon Sl'l'ar
. who aI:o:o filled
thl' ofnl'l' in l!Hlfi, his slIl'(:e:-::-:or for t
lol ancl I
IO;) heing' \YilliaJl1
Killlp:'lJn. TIll' clerk of tJH' 1lluIlil'ipaiity \\a:: .'all\(':-: l'alllphl'll and
the tl"l'a
UI'L'r John C. lIopkin
,
Tlu' fir
t puhlic' rl'lig'ion
:-:eITi('f' in the to\\ n
hip i:-:
aid to harc
III't'n ('1/1lc1ut'tl'd 11.'" a Prl'
hytpriall I'tJIIlt'nt. po
:"ihl.'" i1
r r Petcr
ll;Lf'all. who \\"a
the fir:,t to pn'aeh in Lilllhay. TIll' first r('glllar
'Pl'tl'r :\f..\ï('ar ('ontiIHIP.I tIll' running of this mil1 for tW"Ilt\ '1':lrS,
whpn, in HIIII, h(' rptirt'.1 to "11('1111 his ,It'.'lining .\"I'ar
at thl' town (;f i'crth.
Mr. l\I.'Vi(':lr waH tilt' first rl'('VI' of (':lrri..k, in 1'\,')li fillIl 1"',17, :tnfl also the
first rl'l'VI' of till' unit..,] to\\ nshil's of Lin.....:lY allli Ht. Edlllun.ls in 1 "'
:L
2(jO
:r\AME8
stationed minister belonged to the )Iethodist Church, the Hev. Robert
"Talker. Succeeding him was the Rev. :Mr. ;:;parling. Under his
ministration a church was built at Tobcrl1l0ry Harbor. The next
minister was the Rev. \V. D. Dainard, who wa::; instrumental in the
building of a church at " The Settlement," a point on the Bury Road
some two and a lm1Î or three miles south of the harbor. There is
also a Baptist church at the town plot of Bury, but the author is not
able to give the year of its erection.
St. Edmunds being at the extreme north of the peninsula nearly
all the vessels passing into the Georgian Bay sail along it::; coast.
This has llCC( ......itatf'a the crection of 5(" eral Jighthull
e
. The first
one to be erected was that at Cove Island. 1 This is a white, circular
stone building, built in 1859. which in addition to a powerful light
is also equipped with a fog horn to indicate the locality when fog
('O\
er
thf' water. The lighthou
e at TolJennory was erected in
1885, and the one at Flower Pot Island in 1897.
In regard to the local names in St. Edmunds the following com-
prises all the information the author has been able to obtain: Lake
Kent on the maps, but locally called Lake Cümeron, is named after
John Cameron, of
outhampton, a man well known to the Indians
and fh.:1\C'1'11H'n throughout the Ppnillsula in the days before settle-
n1('nt8 were formed. Lake Cyprus recFiyerl its name from the island
in the )[pditf'rranean
ra, the name being gin:\n at the time that island
wa:; ceùed to Great Britain. Tohermory was named by the Highland
fi:::.hermen after a town in )Iul1. (In Bayfield's chart it i::; named
" Collins Harbor.") The three lakes on concessions 5, 6, 7 and 8,
east of the Bury Road, were intended to bear the names of the patron
saints of England, Scotland and Ireland. This was carried out to
the extent of St. George and St. .Andrew, but a young lllall named
Emmett Smith, .working in the office of B. B.
Iiller, the Indian
Land Agent, persuaded :Mr. l\Iiller to let one of the lakes be cálled
after him, so as Lakf' Emmett it will probably be ah, ays known.
Bury town plot is named after Viscount Bury, Superintendent-
General of T ndian Affairs in 1855.
The entrance of the telegraph and telephone wires into Tobermory
has brought what was the jumping-off place of the county into touch
with the rest of the world, and if the proposed railway ever reaches
there we shal1look for great things in the township of St. Edmunds.
1 After being in ('harge of Cove Island lighthouse for twenty-five :years,
George Currie retired in the summer of 1903. He was slH'eeeded by
Kpnneth
[(' Leod, of 'l'obprmory.
.
..
· 4.'
".,.
't.
;4
,
. .r.e.
,-', ,
t
'{
,to
.
--
."
.
.
,}.
"f\'
t-
-, t
-\./
.J;:
, r'
.-....
/4'1
)
,
'"
..:- ..þ'-
'..
.
- -
i'
.
. .
..
:
- ..
"1,'
-....
f;
..
.....
...
;:.
'I'
-
..
't
--=-
;,
. ,
),
.J.'
-
-'v- _
...
---
i
--
..-
'-.
.- .......
-..' ..
Photn!.rr:lI.h(',1 h.' II. t:. T\\I'kf'r
F'''\\FIt 1'111' I..,..\
... TII\\'S"'" ..t.
I'. EI""'
"'" P.::til
THE FLOWER POT
2f>l
There are extensi, e caYe
to be seen in :--\t. Edmunds. The' lime-
stone rock, so common throughout the peninsula, seemingly has here
suffered from the erosion of water more than elsewhere. Possibly
the largest of these caves is to be seen on Flower Pot Island, the
extpnt of which is not known, as it has not been fully explored. The
island takes its name, that of " Flower l)ot," from a peculiar shaped
rock standing about fifty feet in height. The illustration here given
shows what a natural curiosity it is and how appropriate is the name.
CHAPTER XVIII.
TOlrXSHIP OF ARRAN.!
EXTRACT FROM THE REPCRT OF Cm:
TY YALUATORS, 1901.
"
tone is the chief drawback to this township, and while there has
been a large quantity gathered into heaps and fences, yet there is a
great work to be done in this respect still. There are some places it
would cost more to I'lear the land of stones than it wouM be worth after
the work was done.
\.rran is well watered generally, the swamp lands
in the north half of the township are "ery diffie'ult to drain, and in many
place.s they are not so valuable as they were twelve years ago, as since
that tinlP the timbl'r has Iwen rPlllllved, ana the Ian a genera]]y has not
been improvecl. The Sauble is a poor source of drainage, having no banks
and a slow current. Therp is considpraùle wet land from Arran Lake
north-eastward to the corner of the township, .which it is doubtful if it
wi]] ever be of mueh vallH'. The soil of Arran is fair, with the exception
of about two thousand ae'res in the north-west corner, which is almost
unproductive, it being so tight. It comes in tourh here with the north
part of Saugeen Township, and is largely similar in quality. Buildings
and orchards compare favorably with any municipality in the county.
The roads also are good. The rate per acre is $31.11, of whidl amount
the village propert
. makes 90 ('pnts per aere."
THE land:-: in the to\nlt:hip of
\lTall WP1"e tho
c' dasseù as
"
dlOOI lanels," anel W(,1"(> opPllf'd for F:ale .Tuly 30th, 185i. 2 This
sale indudL'd all lots which were in the original sUl'Ye
' of the town-
ship. The lands inl'hulcd in c'The Half )Iile
trip:' as noted in
Chapter \
.. w('re otfl'l'l'd for f'ale hy the Indian Lawl Ikpartn1f'nt,3
IThe township of Arran is named aftpr the Island of Arran, at the
mouth of the ('lydp, ::-;e'otland.
:!St'e .\ppenclix.r. The first whose name was entered as a l'urchaspr
was .:\lathew Latimpr, for lots 3 and 4, cOIlC'ession Sth, date being Sep-
tember 29th, 183
. .:\Ir. .Tohn :\1. .:\lcXa1J1J. in a pu1JIisllPd letter, stated:
" That in the year lS.)
the late Alex. .:\1(":\"a1lb. ('rown Land Agf'nt for
the county of Bruce, was in receipt of a eommunieation from Mr. Ezra
.T ewett, a famous raisC'r of .:\lerino sl1('e1', in which letter ::\1 r. .J ewett stated
that he and his friends residing in the Eastern StateR were anxious to
acquire the whole township of Arran for tl1(' purpos(' of raising sheep on
a large scale, provided the;\' obtained it on reasonable terms. The Gov-
ernment of the ùa\' refused to enter into anv terms on aC'count of the
parties being Americans, and the scheme fell tl;rough."
3S ee Appent1ix 1. The shape of th('se lots is unique within the
county, they being in 11epth but half a mile, onl
' four lots could bp
included from side-road to side-road if the lots were to approximate one
hundred acres each.
262
--- LJI II .-ILI
-1 1 \I
-.,g
.I
. I--- . -/
........
..t
S =)L
_ $ ' '-><-'" ;. I ?i:: II{
,.
"'"::"" --;::,:
1..., ;
- .,
X -Y ÞÒl I- >i -r----+=-' ll-Y-.&--f'
-
- - -
=
''''
,--lJ,.L
- F '-
r.:.AL 1 1
...,- III
..... -=-
rl !
- 07'
-
-l
i .: ".;-
::;
I
o .... "')
i'
1-_
_fH-
ld I I
-.
v: _ _ ;"."'
)
___...__ _.
_
r:t-A- .
If"'=:.... ./">0. --.,y
""Sz]/.- "'
'i'1r/ :f
r-<.
\ -< P"'
_ i _
Ì'-... f-
i , ----' \ _ _
-
_:"'v--
I '----.-J-
^ -) I"'-\b
N ./
;;J:r"" I I I,;t
_ \
L-- l' - ... \..........-'
: \.
-\ r--
C\I
;:;:
'-'.f
I \
- ... It
J 1 I"'"
- l V
i
/\
\"'
II 1 \
r--..
.!
-
" .
.-
- t;; \
_
'.
-
\ 1:
_ _.IT __
"' -.,
-
\
lì .1 j
I "-
n r== fl ....., _J I-
J_
:t ": " \
'-r{
-
- } -
I
'\
-
N '
.;-r- ::::
i-=---=4
..
.
I I (
1(( ìr
_I
I \ t
-
_...::..t--=- -
/ ) Q D:t
t
7 NIY... }!15 ' (----- ,1
'
I
"-v Q
6-. -, - --tf ' - ) .... ">:
q:-
--- . I ' . I
:t....
. 10
zr _1/ -
,,:>' ______
t---"
- \ ..'1---
-r;, I-- - ') .
- ------'- Il ...
.l.
) "') 11\
i
- '\ I I I I'f I)
:
- II 1\
_L 1
-, " h 1"-
i
-"'tl
!III
:.
1.1 11 ' I' i::;' jf l I
I rr j II 'I
J
r.
r
' 0 V 'I
' '.h
o. .
,7..
_'I',
,' .],
_
-:tJ I 1
i I I v
\ D{J I I I I I I I
z; " " ,\\1
" i I I I
ú
pr;
I I \.,
i IOVF'" I II
4'!)/J"Ç
JON
.:t
p
l-
-
r-
>--
/"
---
>--
t
PIO
EERS
265
July 23rd, 1
5:!. The survey of the to\\nship, Loth of Indian and
school lands, was made in thc year 1
51; Charlcs Rankin had the
contract frolll thc GO\ernlllellt of making tlwse sun-eys, but the work
_ was done Ly George Gould, afterwards County Clerk.
\.rran'::. pioneer ::.ett1er was Henry Boylc; hi:, coming into Arran
antedating by a year that of the sun C'}ors. He took up the most
northcrly lot (X o. :!.l) on eonee
:,ion A, where, when the necessity
arose later on, from the largp number of pcrsons bl'cking lands, he
oppned a tavern.
The author lias met with mudl diflil'ulty in fi
ing the order of
priority of settlcllll'nt of the pioIlC'('rs of ..Arran. This has ariscn
b<,'eau:::e of a commoll pra(otice whieh 1)1'cyailed alllong them of return-
ing to the ::.dtlellH'nts to earn ::-OIllC lllOlWY, just as soon as they had
done cHough work Oil their hu
h lot to C'
tablish their squatter's
claim thcr{'to, whieh eon
i
ted in making a :-.mall "slashing" and
building a hit of a
hanty. During their ah:-:pn('c other scttlers came
in, thl'
c rpmaining permanently and not finding on their entrance
into the Lush anyone in the neighhorhoo<1. felt justified in claiming
thc title of h{'ing the fir
t
cttlel'
. Tlli
c
plal1ation is given in case
thc a
:-:crti()n hp ma<1p that this narratiyc lacks in accuracy. If such
should he the ('a:..c. the author can ollly say that {'\pry effort possible
ha
bCPIl put forth to ohtain information at first hands; then, when
these sour('{'s of hi
information
PI'll1ed to be contradictory, to try
an(l bl(>nil the ::;ryeral narratives to the Lest of his abilï"ty into the
aC('(llmt as 1.<,'r(' pn':,pntcd to the rpadC'r.
The author has I'('('f'iH'<1 from Dayia Chalmprs, the first to settle
in the ca
tern part of .\1'I"an. a lettpr gi\ ing an ac('ount of his e
peri-
('nces on f'JItpring the to\\ m:hip in 18.3 I. 'I'hi
letter, with some fcw
omissions. i!' giH'n in a fonhlOtp,l beli(',-ing that tilt' narrative will hi'
appreciated.
" . . "In thr mhnth of
ray. 18,')1, thr('c tra\"t'llers left Owcn
RouJl{l on a lanel hunt, illtl'IHIing to locate and Sl'ttI(' as fnrmcrs in the
township of .\rran. Th(' pnrt
" ronsist('d of Mr. David Butchart, a man
of ahout forty
'('ars of age; \fr. ,Tam('s Rorh, an importation from Dunder,
ScotIan(l, 3mI mysl']f, a lad of ahout twenty y('ars of ng('. An thrrc of
us wen' pra('ti('a]].v gr(,(,JI at bush work; on starting \\"(' took thr roar] carry-
ing h('avy loads of provisions and an axr each, and s\l('h a road! But we
\\ er(' Htrong :wd of good rouragl' anll !'IO f)oUlH1<'r('(l through 1111111 and waÌl'r
for twpIn' 1lli!('!'I: th('r(' w('rl' ou]y thr('c shanti('s with Rilla]] (']earings all
thp \\a.v. WIIf n at last \\'(' arriv.,a at HI(' housl' of )fr. ,Tnlll(,s B:ubt'r,
] 2th ron('('ssioJl of I>l'rh
.. on th(' houndnr) hpÍ\\ I'('n Grl'Y :md Bnu'(', we
wrrl' \"pry tir('d alII] g]arll." a('rqlt('d the hospitality of \1r. Barber for the
night. En4uirit,s wl'n' m:lIh. as to o\lr nh.if.(.t in visiting hinl, and on
bl'ing infortlll'd that w(' wanh'd lana, III' told \IS HHlt wc were somewhat
prl'lItatUl"I' in our ,"i!olit, that the township of Arran \\as Dot yet surve
.('d
266
DA. Y ID CHALMERS
"Then the surn'ying: party returned to 0" en Sound after com-
pleting the SllfYey of the township of Arran, which was in the fall of
1851, two of the staff, ''" ho had been illlprc
ed with the undeveloped
possibilities of the township, decided to take up land therein in the
vicinity of where w.ater power might be deyeloped. These two were
George GonE and Hichard Bcrford. Each sought out a companion to
go with him. one who might pro\f' helpful as a future neignbor.
Mr. Gould found such a one in .J. ,Y. Linton, and Mr. Berford in
lohn Hamilton. No time was lost, for fear that someone ebe might
pre-empt the lands they thought of taking up before their arrival, so
and that there would be no use coming to hunt for farms until mid-
summer. However, we were anxious to see the land we came to seek, so
in the morning we started on the old blaze of the county line. About
onc and a half miles north on that line we started to fell timber to clear
a potato patch. We piled the brush, built a small shanty of small logs,
bought five bushels of potatoes from :Mr. Barber, and planted them among
the logs. The crop turned out well. I dug the crop up in the fall as
Ir. Butchart and Mr. Roch did not turn up to assist. These potatoes
which I raised can safely be called the first crop raised in Arran.
" In the summer the survey of the township was proceeded with, and
early in the fall I started to select a farm for myself. I went alone. On
lot 25, concession 6, I found the surveyor's part.'", with whom I stayed all
night, This party was, I remember, in charge of Mr. George Gould and
:Mr. Richard Berford. One of the part.'" was myoId fellow traveller,
James Roell. He asked me, as a. friend, if I would do a little chopping
for him between lots 29 and 30, concession 8, as he could not leave his
work on the survey. Of course, like a greeny, I consented and felled
some timber to indirate that the lots were located, and thus gave up the
chance of possessing two of the most valuable lots in Arran. Tara is
now on lots 30 and 31. Roch never came near the property afterwards.
I left the camp in the morning and went north up side-line 23 and 26,
then went east until I came to the Sauble again, on lot 27, concession 9,
and made up my mind to locate on it, which I did, and it was my home
from that time until 1874, when I removed to
Ianitoba with my family.
In the fall of the year I got a friend to assist me to put up a shanty.
'Ve cut such poles as we could carryon our shoulùers, put up the building
and covered it with cedar clapboards. I think I spent the happiest days
of my life chopping down the big trees and allowing more sunlight in my
little clearing. I baked my saleratus-cakes, fried my pork, made my
black-currant-Ieaf-tea, or bread-coffee and made my supper, as happy as
a king. I would put on a big fire of beech or maple logs, stretch out on
the floor and read till bed-time, and retire to my one-post bedstead, which
had a heavy layer öf hemlock brush for a mattress, and awake in the
morning with sometimes two inches of " the beautiful" on my bedcover,
the snow having drifted through the cracks of my clapboard roof. I was
contented, hopeful for the future, and happy. For three years I kept
bachelor's hall and never felt lonely. After getting fairly domiciled in
my shanty on the banks of the Sauble, the question of grub for the
winter's work presented itself, a most sel'ious matter, as it necessitated
my carrying it on my back from ]\fr. Robert Linn's in Derby, a distance
of eleven miles, four rilÍles (If which were merely a surveyor's blaze. As
I had bought a pig from Mr. Linn, I determined that my pork should carry
itself. I got my piggy along very well for seven miles, then it began to
get tuckered out. These seven miles of road had been chopped through
the bush, but the remaining four miles were only blazed. How to get my
SETTLEHS AT TARA
267
n 11':-;;' than a wc(.k from their rpturn to OW('11
ound the four who
e
name:, ha re Iwen mentiOlH:'1l we"re on their way to locate their lots.
Ladened as they were with necessary supplies, utensils and imple-
ll1ent:
, the tramp through the wootls of Derb} Township was trying
anfl weari;o;ollH'. Tlu:,ir route was one indicated by the blaze made by
a surreyor. whid. led tlwm past the ;o;pot where the yillage of Ki1syth
in aft('r day;o; Ile\ ('loped. Heaching and crossing the Sauble Hirer,
?\Ics;:,r;o;. Hl'rfonl and Hamilton, on coming to the eighth conccssion of
Arran, decided to locate on the ground on which Tara now stamls.
pig these four miles was a problem, but I had to face it. I started with
a vcr." rC'luctant gruntf'r, making my way through bush and over lo
s
until I came to a small cedar swamp about one mile from my house.
As in most cedar swamps, there was considerable windfall, and here piggy,
being tirpd, came to a dead stop, but eventual1y I got it to my domicile.
Arrived there, 1 tried my hand in transforming pig into pork, but will
not harrow your fpelings by describing how [ did it. Three or four days
before Christmas snow fell to a depth of nearly four feet. As I had not
got au.v supply of flour for the winter, and the snow being so deep, I
concluded to give up bachelor's hall for the winter, and having salted
my J.ork in t\\O white ash troughs and put it in the celIar, I started
out Ìor 1\[r. Barher's and floundered through the snow, arriving there in
the evening, tired and hungry.
., Befure one 'year. was o,.er I haa neighbors. In the second year
of m." bachelor life I had the good fortuue to have a ('alI from two
land huutf'rs,
[r. HoJu'rt Douglass aud his brother John. Rohert settled
on the next farm to mine, and .Tohn settled next to his brother on lot
W,
9th conct.'ssiou. .John Duuglass and I ha\"t
worked many hard days
together chopping and lo
in
. One day in <,hopping, the snow being very
deep, we "ere fl'lling a maph', he in front, I at the back. The tree Iwd
a bow anti as it strtH'k the ground it swung round and carried .Tohn with
it. hurying him in thl' snow. I thought he was killpd and set to work to
relea:w him from the trel'. I got him out unhurt, with damag"s consisting
of torn suspenders and a dplIloralizl',l shirt.
" HI.fure two:) cars had l'lapsl'd all tlH' land around ml' was tak,'n up
and Tara hall bpgun to aspire to be ('aIled a village. It is sad to think
that 1II0..t of the ('arl\. sdtll'rs who ('a Ill(' in aftl'r nH' and sl'ttl('d around
me in the l.arl.v da., s
Irp slt't'ping in tlw Tara ('t'IIl('Ìl'ry. :nul I. an 01,1 man
of -;! years, am Jeft to spt'ak of tll(' good comradl'ship and frieHdly ft'elings
that cxistl'fl alllong our ('arl
' sl'ttll'rs. \\'hat 1'lt'asure \\t' all had in sub-
duing thl' forl'!-It, what !':truggl('s we had for prl','pdenl'{' of \\ ork at our
logging 'IPI'S, and thl' jolly timf' we hail aftl'r tll(' Ila.'"'s work was u"er
with thl' Ilant'e :lIId sting, and the mirth "ollld n01 slackl'n till the last
drop of . the aather ' ga,.c out.
" The Brinkman "familv arc dead or have left, Willie Hall, of Hall's
Corners, died two
('ars Ìtgo. (\ Jine Jlt'ighbor.) James Broadfoot antI
\rchie l\[cHae.
ood frit'IHls of mine, an' gone. Thomas :-3mith, a noble
fellow, .\rchie \Vilsllll and .John KeJIIH'dy, lilY next neighbors, they too
rest in the graveyard on th,' 3uth sidl'-linl'. Thl'rc aro mHny lIIore of my
old friends and neighhors who have departed this life, while quite a few
have como west likl' III.' sl'lf. Hoping you ma
fintl thl'se fl'w reminist'l'Ill'I'S
of the t.ady days uf .\rran of some intl'I"l'st,
" Believe me,
"Yours truly,
" I
,-,'w" tllHl, "a II.. 30t h Od", ]f)II.";."
" 1>\\"10 CII\L'(FR';;.
26
SETTLERS AT Il'iVERMA Y
lessrs. Gould and Linton pa
f'a on to the ne
t concession road, and
at Inn>rmay, as now known, they selected their lands. There a fair-
sized shant
T had been put up by the suryey party during the previous
RUmmel', as their lll'adquarter:,.1 For a few days caeh of the little
party was busy making a ::;mal1 dearing, and then eac-h helped the
other in putting up a small
hanty. '''hen this wa
done )[1'. liould
went on to
ollthmnpton to register the squatter's dë:1Ím for each of
the party at the Crown Land Agency. while )Ir. Hamilton and .Mr.
Berford returned to Owen
oull(l to ohtain
llppIÎes. On the journey
1 "lÜ: to their lots cach ladened himself with a hundredweight of
prm-i:,ions, in addition to lleeessary implements, such as an axe, an
ne1ze. a cross-cut saw, ana a ;2-ineh all
cr and chise1.
\rriYÍng back
at their shanties, they made preparations to remain there an winter
Owing to the i11nes
of }.li
father, )[1'. Berford was forced to return
to Owen 80und, leaying his companioll alone in the forest. who for
some thirtcC'n days was without t1w
ight of H hUlllHll face or the :,ound
of a human yoicC'. It was the fol1mYÎng
pring lwfore )re
r:,. Gould
and Linton final1y settled on tlwir lots. Other sett1prs who came
into _\rran in IH.
l were
\r("hiha1<l no
'. at Burgoyne
2 'Ym. Cun-
nin
ham.
T. T. Conaway3 and hi:;: fathcr-thc
e an settled near Bur-
goynp. )[ore in the eentrf' of the township wpre Francis Hammel
HlHl
\fathew )IcAulay, who 10C'atctl their farm lot:, that year. 'Yo D.
)Iarmion was another piOlll'er of '31. His son, horn in lS52, was
the first white c-hild born in the tmnu:hip. J n the
pring of
852
Charles Sang, Sr.,4 and his brother "ïl1iam took up lots 25, 26, 27
1 Although faIling to piec('s from decay, this oW log house was standing
a few
.ears ago; pos"Jibly it is yet. Being the oldest building in Arran, it
was of interest to those aware of the cirrumstances. The old settlers
remember how to any weary travdler its doors stoo(l wide open, for the
hospitality of tbe genial, warm-hearted G('orge Gould was proverbial and
bas not been forgotten.
2'Vhen the post-office was opened, in 1853, at ",y est Arran,' , now
Burgoyne, Archiùald Roy n'eeived the appointment of postmaster. He also
was the first township clerk of Arran. In later years he was pORtmaster
a t Port Elgin.
3J. T. Conaway, getting tired of roughing it in tbe bush, traded his
farm for village property at Southampton, where ll(' movel1 to and
there spent the rest of his days, until his death, in 189
. The lot which
his father took up was onc which an Irishman claimed. The man had cut
a few trees, did a iittle underbrushing, and planted some potatoes, but
having run out of provision 11(' was compelled to serape up tl1(' seed potatoes
for food. :Mr. Conaway coming along, he sold out his claim to him.
4Charles Sang, Sr., W3'3 a man of exceptional intelligence, and one who
commanded tbe respect of all who had the pleasure of his arquaintance.
Mr. Sang was a native of Perthshire, Scotland, where 11(' was born in the
year 1821. He settlNl in Arran, as above state(I, in the spring of 1852
OWEN SOL
D ROAD
2ü9
and :!
. in conce
siun B.
hortIy aften\ arù, during the summer of
the :-:.UlH' } ear, Donald )[(: Lal"hlan :,pttll'll on lot:-: :! 1 and '2'2 in con-
ce
ion R, antI in the fall of the :-:.llIIP Yl'ar thl' north-we:-:t part of _\rran
received the fonowing settlers:
T olm )lc Phail, .J ohn Currie, X orman
IcLeOt1. .fohn )fcKillop and )[athew Latimer, while earlier in the
year John DougIas
l took up land at Tam anù \\ïllialll Hall s.ett1ed
and oP('I1('11 a tayern on the Owen Sounù Hoad on the ele,-enth con-
ceSSion.
The opening of the Saugct'n and Owen ;o;ouull Boad through the
centre of the town:,h]p in 18.5'2. as relah'(l in (,haph'r Y., ana that
of the EIOI'a aIlll
aug('C'n noatI along the Wl'st :-:idl' of the township
in lA5J., lllalle C'yC'ry part of Arran aece:5
ihle to thosc sepking locations
for scttlement; the rC'sllIt wa
that Anan was settleJ rapiclly.2
Among tIH'
C' early f::pHI('rs t1wre may be lllC'ntiOlwd: \Yi11ialll. Henry
amI Cordana Trc1ford, .1 olm and \rm. KI'nnC'd
', \rIll. Tippin, John
B. Brigg
, If pnry 1':!'pIen.
r.. .1 o:,eph Hrigg
. \\ïll in m X eh:on, Stephen
)[eKpl"llllil', ,1allll':' J:ohert
and William ]funt. The Ia:-:t mentioned.
in lk.j:1. waf:: the fir
t to
C'ttle in tI)(' f::outh-west part of .\rran.
Thp parly f::('ttIpr:; in _\.nan, like tho:-:I> in otlll'r portions of the
county. had their full sharc of hanhhip. although they were not so
badly off in the mattC'r of roads as W('I"C' lIIany otIH'r I()('nlitip
. .T.)L
[onkman, town:-:hip ('ll'rk. r('latl'
thl' follo\\ ing a:-: hi
p\.ppril'IH'P
whpn he had to rough it as an e
r1y settler: "I l"amC' to
\rran in
185-1. whcn only 15 years of age, nUll kept bachelor's hall for some
and was I'arl\" made onp of thp .Justil'es of the l'eacp for the count\". Tht>
author is UlIIÏl'r <,onsidprahlp obligation to :\rr. Hang for lucid anù ål'curatp
òesc>ription furnished b.\' him of the sl'ttll'rneut of tlw north-west part of
Arran. :\rr. Sang {kpartpd this life Xovcrnlwr lith, H10-J., in his 84th
'ear,
I.John Douglass \\as horn in Perthshirp, Scotland, in 18
. He was
ninf'Ìeell years of agl' when his \\ idowí'd Illotlll'r and two brothers ellligratl'rl,
coming to Canaùa. They at on{'e dcei.tl'd to tr,\" thí'ir forhuws in the back-
woods and camp to Arran via O\\"l'n t'ounù.
fr, Douglass says one of the
first Jwrsons 111' Jrll't on entering till' township, whic'lI was in July, IS:ï
,
wa!'C (;eorgl' Gould, hllsily engagl'd in earrying out his contract of opening
the UWl'n Hound road. Mr. Douglass had his full shan> of hardships :md
privations of pioní'í'r lifl'. He \\as elt.(>tpil to be the first r(,l've of Tar:., anrl
in 1
"'1 had the furthf'r honor of being maùe wanll'n of the county. He
has hf'l>n eonnf'ctt'll with tllí' vohmh'I'r mOVl'lIlent from the VI'I"\' first and
his naillI' is' to bf> fonnel in <,ollllí'dion th('rf'with in ('haph:r X. ::\fr.
Douglas!:! has rptired from active liff> and is rl'siding at Tara, f'njoying
the respl'c>t and estel'lIl of his feIlo\\ citi7.cns. ln polities h(' is a Liberal.
He is a Pn'sb.\tf'Ti:m and has a1\\a.\s takpn an al'tive part in any goorl
work. HI> has also filll'ù the position of a .Justil'
of thl' Pl>ace for lllany
yc'ars.
2A !'Clu(lv of the figurps in AppPllllix :\1 sho\\s the rl'latiw' <ll'v('lop-
mí'nt of \'rran compared to thí' othl'r town!':hips within the I'ount.\ up
to lR:ii.
70
:MVNICIPAL EVFNT
time. This was lonely ind('eù, <:15 at time::: I dd not see a liying Eoul
for weeks, not eyen an Indian. The first fall 1 WèlS in my shanty I
had to go to Southampton, some thirteen miles distant, to obtain a
suppl
' of proyisions. This entailed a walk thruugh the womb by a
blazed path, a tramp o\'er so-called roads, which were in reality lmt
one long-stretched-out mud-hole, while the crossing of creeks on mere
footsticks was quite a feat; it was a mo
t fatiguing journey. At
Southampton all the Hour 1 could get was ::;ume fifteen pounds, the
supply in the village having run out. This 1 carried bac-k with me,
along with some pork just out of the pickle, for whic-h I had to pay
a shilling a pound. LaJell with the aboyc, also sugar, tea and other
necessaries, which I carried on my back and shoulders or tucked in
my smock, I trudged back the ,reary miles to my shanty in the bush."
"
hen in 185"3 the inflow of settlers into Arran attained some
yolume, Arran was part of the municipality known as ., The rnited
Townships in the County of Bruce." No as
es
11lent was made or
taxes collected in Arran that year; the first leyy of taxes was malle
in 1853, .when
T ohn Guest was the assessor in Arran for the aboye-
named municipality, and .T. T. Conaway the collector. The total
amount of the le\y for all purposes for that year \ras Æ55 lÌ
. !1(1.
'Yhen the dissolution of the municipal union of the townships took
place at the end of 1853. and new municipalities created.! Arran
heC'ame tIle spnior township in the munif'ipa1ity of the united town-
ships of
\rran and Elderslie.
\..rchibald no
r was the returning
officer, and the first munic-ipal eledion wap held at his house. The
first reeve was Richard Berford, and the councillors, Henry Esplen,
'Yilliam Hunt, Thomas "
ooc1sidf'
anc1 Edward Sparling. The town-
hip ell'rk was
\.rl"hihall Hoy. r n a fontnote 2 there i
giwn the
names of all the reeves of Arran down to Ifl06. The union of Arran
n1Hl E1derslie continued in forc(' for only two year:;:. Following the
dis
olution of the union, during thp Yf>ar 1
5() tll{' township existed
as a
eparate municipality, but in 185 (' the township of
\mabel was
united to it for municipal purposes by by-law of the County Council;
JSf'e Appendix F.
2The foJJowing are the names of the reeves of the township of Arran:
Richard Berford, 18:51; William Barber, 1855, '56; William Riddell, 185í;
.T ohn 11. Lumsden, 1858, 1860, '63, '64, '65. '66, 18ïl, '72; James :Monkman,
1859; :Michael Babington, 1861, '62, 1873, '74; Andrpw Freeborn, 1867, '68,
.69 1870, '75, '76, '77, 1896; H. T. Potts. 18i8, '79, 1880, '81, '82, '83,
'R4: '85; .John Hearst, 18R6, '87, '88, '89; William :Mackintosh, 1890, '91,
.92 '93, '94, '93; .John Geddes, .Jr., 1897, '98, '99; James :Miller, 1900;
.Tol;n 'Vatson, 1901, '02; Richard Nicholson, 1903, '04, '05; Wm. .Jacques,
]906.
FIRST POST-OFFICE
271
to "hich union wac. Hd(led. in 1858, the township of Albemarle.
Tlu.:ðe three towl1::,hip" continued ab one municipal corporation until
the close of ] 8CO.
inee then. commencing with January 1st, 1861,
Arran has remained permanently a separate municipality. The
separation of Albemarle and
\mabel from ...\..rrall resulted in a pro-
longed lawsuit.! On the separation of these three town!'hips into
two lllunicipalitil:
, the two l:orporations executed an instrument
"hereby _\mabe1 anJ _\lbcmarle agreed to pay
\rran all amount of
indehtedIle
. mutually agrped upon as $
,8;r
, as
oon as the amount
('ould be collected from the non-resident arrears of taxes in the hands
of the county trea::;un'r. The fh.ing of a particular fund to pay the
deht w
;-; a mi:-;take. Therefrom a legal difficulty aro
e, it heing dis-
cO\ered, suhsequent to the signing of the agreement, that these non-
resident taxps were largely charged on non-patented lands; as the
law then stood, such lanJs were not liable to ta
ation; in fad, only
f:ome
?jO was collected of $5.000 of t11f'f:e taxes standing in the books
of the county treasurer. The suit was not finally settled until 1810.
The naming of the fir!'t po:;t-ofTiees in the to\\ nship was in aeeord-
am'p with the custom which prevailed at the time of the settlement of
Bruce, of gi\"ing the name of the town
hip to its first post-office; 80
wp find that in 1
5;3 a post-office bearing the name of " Arran" was
oprlll.(l, (;I'orge (;0111(1 heing the po:::tma:-:tC'r. The name of this post-
otJi(Oe wa:; l:hanged in 1
.)!) to Im ermay. "\1 r. Gould held the office of
po:::tllla
t('r for only a very short time, and wa
f:uceeeded by John
r orton. " \\" p
t .\ rran ., po
t-offiee, now Burgoyne. was also opened
in 18;);
, thp fir:-:t postmastPr
being \rchibald Boy. afterwards the
postmaster at Port Elgin. .. ..Arkwright." opC'uC'cl in 1B5;', was the
ne\.t po=,t-office in the town:=;hip; its first postma
trr was J. Faulknt'r.
hortly aíh'r spttler:; first eame into Arran there was formed thc
nucleus of thrre yillage
. T\\ 0 of thrse \\ ere at the post-offices men-
tiollC'd in the> prec-t.<1illg para:rraph. Th(' third ,\ a
Tara. Of theßc
']'ara is the only on<, which has de\eloped into a place of importance.
For a long time it "a::: doubtful whether Tara or Invermay, situated
oul.v a mile apart. wouM take the ]ea(1. ...\s Tara has a chaptPf to
it:::c1f. we shall here
reak only of hnermay. This latter village was
I
{'(, 4;' 1 T . ('. QI1('('n's R(,llch nl'l)()rts. page 1
3, also 1 ï ('hallct'rv
Hpports, pagl' Hi
, allfl 15 (,haDc('r
' Ht'ports, page 701, for particulars o.f
this lIotl'd la\\suit.
2Thc old settl('rs say that .T. T. Conaway waR the first postmasÌl'r whne
t h(' official records gi ve the Dame of Archibald Roy. 'I.'h(> t('nure of office
of 011(' of these men was possihly not for any l('ngth of tilll(" which would
t'xl'lain the matt('r.
272
IN YEIUIA Y
sun-eyed into village lots in 1855. The plan of this sun ey shows
only four houses as there built, aU of which were ncar the corner of
the coneession road and the street leading to Tara. The sale of
\
illage lots could not IUl\-e been brisk, as it wa::; not found necessary
to register the plan until 1858. The building by Luke Gardner of a
.saw-mi11 in 185.j or '.j6 anù of a grist-mill in 183; helped to make
Invermay a bu:;incss centr
. ..\ diredory of an early date gÏ\es
details of the little village as it was in 1t;65, as follows: ., it has a
population of ;250,
ontains two
tort':-:, two tanneries, one grist-mill
and two saw-mill::::, Ì\\ 0 churche-.; and t,,-o dodor::;, etc. Quite a busi-
neb
i
ùone in this ,-illage, it being :-:iruateù on the main trawllec1
roaù:' Of the churchps l11C'ntionecl one was a 1Iethoùist, built of
brÜ'k, in 1861. It i;:; now oc
upicJ b
the Baptisb. The other church
eùifice was Chris1 Church (Ch. of England). This wa::; built about
1861. JI1 18ìì it was replaced by a much hallll
omer structure, which
cost *.3,000. It was largely owing to the str('nnOl1
efforts of the late
Rev. Rural Dean R. C. (iooper that this finp huilding \Va:3 built. (He
was also instrumental in the erection of the Church of th(' l]pr1ppmer at
Elsinore, and of St. Stephen's at Arran T.akc.) The first store at
Invermay was opened hy 'Ym. TIidc1ell ahout lR.53, the first in the
town:;:.hip. The mills huilt hy Lukp Ganlncr. sitnat('c1 ahout half a
mile south of Im-ermay po
t-offin>. ho1'(> the name of "Arran Yale
:l\lills ": aft.pr pas
ing ont of )Ir. Ganlner':-: hands they were run for
a numher of years hy Syrian Cummer. A name long connected with
lm-ermay is that of thp latp Ahraham Xeeland
. who was postmaster,
storekeeper and Division Court clerk there for man
T
Tpars, whose
reputation a::: an npright man and a eonsistent Christian win long
suryive him. 1
lAt the dose of the sitting of the
(>Yenth Diyision Court, held in
Vandusen's Hall. Tara, ,Tuly 5th, 1899, a very pleasing incident took place.
It was the last time tllat tlle venerable and respected clerk, Mr. A.
Neelands, would occupy that position, and .Tudge Klein, before dismissing
the conrt, mad(' a few intert'sting and appropriatp remarks relative to the
occasion, mentioning that
f r.
('Plands was appointed Division Court
Bailiff at Ûw('n Sound in 18+7, which position he occupied for nearly five
years; afterwards occupying the same position at Invermay, and was then
appointed Clerk of the Sf'venth Division Court, which he has held for the
past fifteen years. He Wf'nt on to enumerate other positions held by Mr.
Neelands-treasurer of Arran for
4
-ears. postmaster at Inverma
T for
6 years, etc. He stated that the relation of .Tudge with Mr. Neelands had
been most cordial and pleasant, no complaints had been presented against
him. and the duties of l}is offi
e had been performed ably and honestly.
He was sorry to part with such an old official, anù hoped he would be long
spared to enjoy the rest which he Q('servetl.
Ir. Xeelands died February
24th, 1902, at the age of eighty-six.
XOTABLES
27:-1
A reference to Chapter IX. shows that in 1833 Arran's school
population was returneù as only 50, and no school buildings what-
ever. There must have been some error in regard to the number of
the school population, as we find that six schools were opened in the
following year. This numLer was added to from time to time until
thl're were in hì():
deven school buildings, a number which has not
been further added to.
\rran has among its farmers two who have filled the position of
warden of the cOllnty of Bl'l1l"C', nanH'ly, 11. T. Pot!::; ana \rm.
)r aekintosh. The
e two men, po,.;-:(
illg the estf'ern of many, ha, e
al
o 1.('('11 nOlllillat(.a for ParliamPlltary honon;. If space permitted,
it would he interl'sting to local readers to have written of others in
the town
hip who;-;e rf'putation has e
h'nded beyond its borders, or of
some of the ohlpr fmnilips such as those that bear the name of Esplin,
". ark. ,[orn1l1. '[orrow, Hwinton, ,[onkman, etc., ete. Ruch a task
might \\"l'11 he taken up by some local historian, and this suggl'stion, it
i
hopl'(l, may hefore long lIe carried out.
CHAPTER XIX.
VILLAGE OF' TARA. 1
THE reader is refcrr{'c1 back to the preceding chapter for particu-
lars relating to it:;:. :settlement by Tara's pioneer s.ettlers., Richard
Berford and John Hamilton. They, in the fall of 1851. came into the-
unbroken forest, which coyered the township, anc1located on the farm
lot
aftenyard to be ;;:uneyed into a village. 2 It is not to be imagined
that the village COl11llH'ncetl to take forlll at once: the evolving of a
business ccntre in a township not fully settled until some years later
J'l'quired time. The fact t.hat Tara is situated about half way between
Owen Sound and Southampton, on the road opened out in 1852
had much to do with the developing of a village there. "ïthin two
or three years after he had taken up his land,
T ohn Hamilton built
a fair-sized building of hewed logs, where he furnished accommoda-
tion for the trm elling public, which consisted of incoming settlers
and land-seekers passing on into the backwoods of Arran and the-
adjoining town:::hips. It is said that in the first year after being
opcnpd it was no UlH'OmmOn sight to F;PP from ten to tWf'nty teams
drmyn up before the door of this small ho
teIry. ,...-hose resources were
taxed to the utmost to snpply the dCl11and
made upon it. For a num-
bcr of years a strong ri,-a1ry existed beh,'een the village of Tara and
Invermay, situateil only a mile apart, as to which should take the
first place in the process of de,'elopment and become the business
centre of the locality. The result has bef'n not so much a survival
of the fitt('st in r(,f'pect to location and natural achantages, for in
thC'!=:e particulars t11PrC' was littlf' to choo:::e betvìPen the two places.
I t has been mor(' because of the enterprise shown hy the people of
Tara that it has dcw.loped at the expense of its neighbor. The sur-
yey of {'ach of the villages was made about the same time. The par-
lThe vil]age bears the Dame of a town in the county of Meath, Irf'land,
a seat of royalty in ancient da;\'s. Referred to by Moore in his poem,
" The Harp that once through Tara's Halls."
2Richard Berford took up Jots 31 and 32, and John Hamilton Jots 29'
and 30, concession 8, Arran.
274
THE FOIUrlIXG OF THE VILLAGE
275
ticulars of that of Tara as gin
n in a footnote! are the dates given
on the plans as registercd, but preliminary sun-eys had bl
en made in
185-1 by Uichard Herford, as::;isted by his three brothers.
)[rs. St. L. Bcrford has bpen kinl enough to
upply the author
with many facts about the early days of Tara which haye been maùe
use of in this chapter. She says: c. In the carly summer of 1854 the
Hprfords raised the fir
t house (a log one) huilt in Tara; this was
for their father, .T olm F. Berford. 2 This building was on the site
where now stand::; the British Hotel. In the same YCilr Hiehard awl
St. La\\Tt'nce Herford built upon their rpspective properties. Otllt
rs
also who llê1f1 honght lots, or had them given to thpm on condition of
building, erpded huilc1ing
that year." _\mollg the first to open stOl e
at Tara were F.
\rmstrong, Donald
utherland and I r. Le Pan. .\.
saw-mill was huilt in 1
3.) hy II. 'L 11. Hichan1s, whith was the fb st
manufacturing indu
try known in the village. To thl
he, in 18;)7,
added a grist mill. The largest luallufacturing industry in Tara, the
foun<1ry and agrieultural illlpll'lllent works of 'r. L\. Gerolamy, '\"as
founc1('d in 1857. [t wa
in that year that George Gerolam
T and hi
two hroth('r
-in-Iaw, .T ohn and .Tarnp
Tohy, purchased some lots in
the village. _\fter clearing the same they put up a modest workshop
and ('01ll111011('e(1 the 1IIamIfadurc of fanning mi1l
. III the ('OllrSl' of
two or three years ,,?
\. (;erolamy took o\'er the busine
s, whieh had
not attained to large proportion
by any means. By energetic efforts
and pluck, c,)mhined \\ ith upright prinl'iplp
, he has had the satisfae-
tion of
l\t'illg tht' hu:-:i11(\
:, gf'<Hlually grow to it
present large dinH"Il-
ion
. He was thp fir:-:t maker in Cana<1a to introduce perforated 7im>
for sieves in fanning mil1
. For thi
improvpmr>nt he ohtained a
patent. \s a result, at tJ1P \Yodd's Fairs hr>lc1 at Philadelphia, Paris
and Chicago. he was awarded the highest prizes.
.\ mong t1w carl il'st of Tara's industril
was a
tf'am saw-mill
ownf'.l llY G. 'r. Ttrinkwah.r, a woollen miJ1 oppratec1 hy Thomas
Thomp!=:on. amI a potash factory hy Samuel Rhoyel1pr. Among the
parly nwt'1Ianics might IJe mentioned Petpl" Chp
tprfiel(l, pahinet-mak
r,
IThp su n'py of lots :n a n.l
2. eon('{'ssion 8, .\ rran, "3.S m3.tlp b}' Ri(' harfi
Bprfonl; datp, l\fay 17th, 18:;S.
The sun'p.,,, of lots 31 3. nil :l2, con('{'ssion 9, Arran, was mnde by St.
Lawrence Bprforcl; datf', 1\;"ovelllher 10th, 18:)8.
Thp sun'{'y of lot :In, con('pssion 8, Arrnn, wns made bv John Hamilton'
datp, ::\rar('h 24th, IR:)!l. .,
The sllrv{'Y' of lots part 29 :md 30, eon('{'ssion 8, Arrnn, wns made hv
John :M. LUDlsd('n; datl', N ov{'mber 22nd, 1860.
2John Fitzwi1liam R"rford "as a retired officer of the British Navv.
He only Run iv{'d a ff'\\"
.pnrs after movin
to Tara. His hurial plare .is
on a knoll in th{' park lot th3.t b{'ars his name.
27U
IKCORPORA nON
who i:::, still living, and James 'f. Allen and )[oses Kellow, carpenters
and builders. Donald Crquhart, coolwr (at one time editor of a Gaelic
paper in Hamilton), wa
one who became known as a local scriLe.
The fir8t school teacher at Tara was J. R. Yandusen. For many
years he retained the position of principal, anJ is remembered by
numbers of those who in their youthful days attf'nded the village
school.
A post-oftìee was not opened at Tara until 1
G2. D. Sutherland
was the first to receive the appointment of po
tnH1ster, which post he
held for only a short time, his
ucte:-:
ûr bf'ing .Tohn Toby. This post-
office hore the nauw of "Ehlana ., during its fir
t year, when it was
changed to Tara.
As the village grew in population a lksirc ,Ya
f
lt that it be
separate<1 from the township and a:-:
ume munieipal re!'ponsibilitie
.
Henry Yëllldu
en was appointed in ) 880 to take the cpn:::us, and so
ascertain if the vi11agp contained a population sufficient to clailIl inC'or-
poration. The return shower1 that there were bùG inhabitants within
the propose<1 houndaries. On this showing. thp County Council pa:::
ed
the rf'quired hy-Iaw, to come into force .T anuary 1st, U
S1. The first
municipal election waR lwld at the oU Presbyterian Church, .T. R.
Yandu:::en being the returning offi(.Pf. The l"t'eve] electrd was .T ohn
Dougla
:::. ana the gentleman compo
ing the fir:::t ('nuneil were 'f. A.
Gerolam
-. .Tohn Dunn. 'V. Yandus2n and fsaa(' :Shannon. .1. D. Toby
was appointe<1 villap-e clerk, and .T. H. \
andusen. ,'illagp treasurer.
The8e two gentlemen have retëlÏned t1wir offices ewr since.
The first meetings. for rellgiou::-; sf'rvil:e
were ("ollducted before
an
- regular congregation had bl'f'll organized, aUll were held in
Gf'rolaIllY\; worb:hop, and on ...omc occasions in the potter
'. Then,
latC'r. the sl'hool-house was u::Ol'c1. III timf', congregation::: in connection
with the nuious Protc:::tant denomination!' werp formed, and church
building:;;. Wf're prectec1. rr'he Prpshyterians R'('1l1 to ha,-e bef'll the
first to build. Their fir:::t edificc was of frame, put up in 1RGO, hut
was de
troYf'd h
' a wind storm bpfore eycr a sen"iee had been held in
it. Tn the following ycar they built a more
uh
tantial building of
hrid
. 1'11(' gTowth of the congregation in the follmying
'('ars neces-
sitated a still larger edifice. This l'esulted in the building, in 1816,
'The following are the names of those who have been reeves of Tara,
with the Yf'ars in which they filled the office: John Douglass, 1881, '82, '83,
'84. '83, '86, '87, '88, '89
William Campbell, 1890, '91, '95, '96; ,r. F.
Smith, 1892, '93, '94; .A. Trelford, 189í, '98, '99; .Tohn Hamilton, 1900;
F. A. Thomas. 1901, '02; J. S. Colwell. 1903, '04; Isaac Colwell, 190;);
Wm. Collins, 1906.
THE PRESS
277
of the pre
ent commodiolls church. In the year It:;61 the
\Iethodists
built a brick dlUI'l..h half way beÌ\\een Tara anu lnyermay. This
IJUilJing thcy
()l<l to the Bi11'ti:,l:, after the pre:-;cnt IUllul:-;ome edifice
in Tara had been built, the l'OrI1('r-
tone of whidl was laid July 2ðth,
1
5.
11 was Oc
hl'r 1 Oth, l
.... 1, WI1('ll the fi r
t 10l"omoti \.e rpiHdH_'d
r.rara. For some months it was the 1ll0
t northerly station to which
freight was canil'u hy thp railway l"ompany. The seC'tional hOllU
to
the railway of $5,O()(I gi\ell by Tara wa::; a huge 01H', <:on
i(lering the
size of the \il1age.
\t thl'
allle time it must he rL'll1em bcred that the
railway has done a grcat deal for Tara. making it a point of ::;hip-
ment for the proùud" of a t:'on
i(lprahh. :o-l'dion of country.
In the 8UJIlll1er of v.;sn. \\ ith the pr()
l'ect of the vilhlge becoming
incorporated, allli al:;o \rith the prollli:-;c of the raihnlY being opened
in the illlllll'ùiat(. future, a llcw
paper \Hl:, felt to be a pl'e:-::;Íllg need.
Thi
\\as lIIet hy \r. .J. \\ hitloek (BOW of the Hï'll'ion Canadiall),
who proel'('<leJ to puhlish The Tat'll ],radrl", continuing tu do so
until 1 K!I:
, when tho Hc\. rrhomaR Hall purcha:;ed the paper. lIe sold
ou tin 1 S
I -;- to .J. E. II a 11I111011(1, who ill H;
nl di:-:l'o
l'd of it to its
present puhlisher, H.
\. rallduspn.
Tara has not done lI11H:h in th" way of honll
ing manufadurcs,
its one \cnturc not having h('pn \f'l'Y sUl'cP:-:
flll. The bonus referred
to wa:-; yot<.d upon
eptelllhf'1" '.?:
I'll, 1
!'
, g-rallting tll(' SHill of $4.(loù
to )f"s!-rs. Hiett(. & C(I., to hclp th('m tn go f'"\.tpnsin'ly into the nlilnu-
fadore of bêlrrpl
. <:hccse ho
l'::'. etc. The busine
s was shut down in
1 !I01. a1\l1 t)H' \ illaW' took pO";:-:t':,:-:iol1 of Ihp property, l)\\t it Ira;-; not
bcpn a h1p tool Ita i 11 tlwr(' fro1l1 r('paYI1ll'11 t of tlw a lI10un t :Hha n("cd.
.f.
I. Lnlll
(lpll "a
for a nUlIllwr of y('al
a promilwnt man in
'1'ara. awl OHP who (luril1g t1ll' ypar:-: Ill'
êlt in tlll' ('ol1nt
. Cnmwil as
rcc\e of ..\nan \\as lll'ltl in high P
t('l'II1. If(' I"l'1I10\pd tn Galt in the
FC\l'nti('!o1. \notlwr pr01l1ilwnt (.itiJl'l'1l of Tara who has 1I10\('cl awa
'
was "'hitfof(l \Tan(lus('n. )Tr. \
al1(lu:-1'1l at onp tilTh' taught :,('hool
at T m"Pfll1ay. Th('n he ('o1l1I11l'll('pd a lII('rcm1tilp hl1
inpss at Tara.
Pro
p('ring. hp opl'lIP(l a prin11(' hank. whi('h bu:-:ilh'
s thf' 'Tl'l"l.hants
Balik of CalHHla purelra:-:pd wlH'n it Op('])('d an agf'nf'y in the yil1a,!!c
in l!IO I. \f I'. \r alll luc:en now f(.:;;idf'
in Turonto.
.\t thp prp
('llt (lay 'l\lI':1 i
an attradiyc litth' pIal'''. 1t:-: two !'t('cl
hri(l;!('s (huilt hy tlw ('Olmty). it:-; grallolithic
i(h'walk
, it
TI11I11f'r0l1S
pl a("('
0 f 1111
i 1)(':':-; a III 1 i t:-; 111 a 11." ('0111 fod a hl p-look i 11,!! (l\w.11 i ngs p\'i-
(11'11('(> a (,01l1111tmity pO:-:
1
:-;ing and ('njoying a larg(' f'harl' of pros-
pf'rity ana nìntpntlllPnt.
CHAPTER XX.
TOJfNSHIP OF BRANT.!
EXTRACT FRûM THE REPORT OF COU
TY VALUATORS, 1901.
" This is the largest town:ship in the county, being nearly 70,OUO aeres
in extent. A large portion is very good land, but there is considerable
poor and rough land. '1'he Saugeen River enters the township at Hanover,
running westerly to \Valkerton, then in a northerly direction till it
passes into Elderslie. The land on each si(le of the river for some distance
is rough anù generally light. There is some l'ather stiff clay around
Malcolm. Land, ho" ever, is selling well in this township. The fact of
the county town being within its limits no doubt enhances value of
property in that distr!l!Ì. Brant is well watered, has good roads, good
buildings, and sufficient fuel and timber for years to come. The rate per
acre is $36.94; of this sum the village property amounts to $2.58 per acre."
BrrANT certainly is justified in claiming to be the premier town-
ship in the county of Bruce, possessing as it does the largest area,
combined with thc highest asses:smellt, and, if 'Yall\:erton is included,
it also has within its limits the greatest population of any township in
the county. It:; share of county rates is almost one-tenth of the
annual levy of the whole county. The farms within its boundaries as
a whole are not excelled by others in any part of the province.
Indeed, onc of its farms (that of the late Andrew \YaedIter) carried
off the gold medal in 1891 as the best farm within the four counties of
Huron, Perth, "
ellington and Bruce.
The first lands in Brant opened for settlement were the "free
grant
' cons i:Üng of th(> first and second concl':ssions north and
south of the Durham Roaù. r:!.'hese were offered on the conditions to
be found in Appendix E, in .J une, 1RJ9. All the lots on these four
concessions were takcn up lx'fore the rcst of the township, which con-
sisted of "school lands," which were offered for sale on August 5th,
1851. 2 The price asked by the 80\ ernment for school lands was
'Xamed after the celebrated Indian chief, .To:-.eph Brant, or Thayen-
danegea.
2S ee A.ppendix H. The first purchasN undpr this sale wa9 "Tm. 11 ill s,
for lots 34 and 3."), \'oncessÎon 3. S.D.R., 011 .August 6th, IS.)!. The first
patent was issued to Jolm Eekford. on l\1ar
h 5th, I
.)
, for l(lt 1, con-
cession 6.
278
1 /J.r;:'
r__! \ I I 'I I \'-JA
I
I
' I J I I 1
"I, 1 I Ð
l-
7 t
:rïT
'-' I
II ['
p 'II ' I II I _Id
,
'- -4' 11 .: , I !I 1
þ
-.- I I --..s" - I
.--
Jr r. I I :
h-Þl+ I
y;; \
: t J t I
"I \ \ V7 '. -À
I,
I
',
H (
., !. "'.......d \ , Y I __I
2
ci : ,
(_ ICfl'
'lt I Tn- I
ri .
31 '
,,;I'õ:. -
...Jh-+.
- ---;; i
.o I -i'---. I I IV (- - If':
.. _
.. ': :JH .
\ '.
. CCG -: Q iL
'ð'?r: '1
=
""'':; :' I I r k-JiS' / \. ;x: rr
T
'
---- T H
Fff c."I: J \ i'---r---.
' -çf
u'" ,ç \"1 \ r----'.
'
- -----;- l I
"
..
/ ;.
....
JI-:.!.-
1'1 Ill l rvT 1'\ Tli
trì.
r-
i: -hf-:.fB-
, I 1
fJ!. -
I '
t\
't
"-
.
ø 1 I
, # l:-r
f .. Ä \.
{'$
- -y
I- I (
III }--V' ll. \ I
I J I
T"rw=::
'; I 7 ., I 2 -' of
. '", 7 & . Ið '/( 12 13 14 IS /6 /7 /8
e '201
1 f213 e", as à6 %7 2; 29 30 'J /132 1:13 I,H 'f
-I+:d=t /) \1 I i (
I
1+ >:1
U' CL ...
'I-
."L rr T I her
&
.
,"--=
'\"' i -- '"' --
_
-:
.r II : I I I II
\ I IT I I r I
:)
I I I I 1 11 \ I :
r
: liffi l':l t!.!.UJ,..
"L'.El ,
"I.
v{:JJJ)lIl;Þ ,"' l
!1 ffi
J)
-"
_:----L- I I ,Iì'tW II II
,' : n .
ï flYI! 11111tí,!1 ìJ v
n I
I1II fl I W, (fi E .TQ!'f: I I 'op
l..t
'-. :"mll I'll J '''''''';'' \. I
I ..
I II I
fi \ ,.:;; I ' II I
J .
') :....
r<\
ohb
f
--" ,
.t
I I
..;L.('- (,
,.
\
I;o"'" 'i"1 c() b b '
-; -+- I II
:
(
A
' Ji'" I ï t I I I 11 1 '\ -í j 11
]ì
_0 A B I ,I I
if ì !. J11 f.( i; I : {fL
JAT B ll1l' lI1iIT[.lI II[I
III
r 11
11 11 I 11111 ,t<ì(}r
::J
r,
.11 · ' 1 : 'I-
'11 v I 'jrl.Jl ..
tt
T/A I' .. ?'-i n ! U ; H I .r l iu "-r "rl !'1 1 3 : '.IJ
PIO
EER:S
281
twehe ::;hilling
and sixpence (
.5u) per acre, a figurc subsequently
reduced to ten shillings. The reaùer is referred back to Chapter 11. for
information lelating to the sun ey of the township and to Chapter;:; III.
and .XXI. for information as to thc \ ery earliest of the pioneer::; who
took up frec grants lots. They certainly ellllured hardships unknown to
those who went into thé bu:::;h in 1t;5J and 1t;.3-!, little as the author
would minimize what the latter had to endure. In 1849 and 1850, of
road:; or bridge:; there were none; of :;a wand grist mills, as \\ ell as post-
oflkes, none were nearer than lJurham. Thl;:o,
disadvantage:::; were
much redu(;l:d in 1
53, when the last large inflow of settlers to lands
in Brant occurred. Of the early pioneers, not elsewhere named, was
'Y illiam :-;lllith (now residing in )Ianitoba), who cntered thc town-
shiy of Brant in l
-!fJ, thc first year of its b-ettlement. Lot 21, con-
cession 1, S.D.n.. wa:; the farm lot on which he settled. ''"hen having
this lot allotteJ to him he at the ::5amc time :;ecurcd the adjoining lot
fo
his father, 1h1' id
mith.l His neighbors were .AleÅander and
Archibald
tPwart, who had taken up lots on the north siùe of the
Durham Road opposite. In the helpful spirit so characteristic of the
backwoods, assistance was freely reciprocated by these men in the
building of their log shantie
. The land-seeker of 18.30, after pass-
ing the Stewarts. in his we::::.t\\ ard march, in a short timc camc to the
shanty and clearing of J OSCp!l Bac.Q!1 2 who had been accompanied into
the hush by his brave wife, the first woman to become a permanent
settlcr in the township. Thcir littlc shanty was one whosc door \\ as
ever open to offer the open-handed hospitality of thc backwoods to the
tired tra vellpr.
Among the early pioneers to he mentioned is Patrick Godfrey, who
in the fall of 18-19, settled on lots 13 and 14, concession 2, N.D.R.
'It \V3cS on 1fay
rd
:J.O (which was the day Im)vious to the arrival
of_ JO<;l'ph W'alk('r at the place afterward to bear his name), that David
Smith and family settled on the farm lot adjoining Walkl'rton. There he
resided for sl'veral years. David Smith was one of thl' first eldprs in
the Presbyterian congregation organized in 1831. 'Vhen the north part of
the township was opened for settlement he took up a farm lot on the
thirteenth conceHsion, where he died, December, 1880, aged i8.
2.Tos('ph Baron wa!'! a nativf ûf E!'I!'!.f.x, Engl
d, where he wa!'l born,
Feùruary 3rd, 1,9". In Mar('h, 1833, he emigrated to Canada and residpd
in the vicinit
, of Hamilton. On the opening of the Garafraxa Road he
settl('d in the township of Arthur. When the free grants of the Dnrham
Road wpre op..ned for settlement, he was one of the earliest to settle in
Brant, taking up lot H. on concPs!'Iion 1, X.D.R. If,. had the contract for
cntting on t tltt> EI'
a Road .thron..ß
!.-t!1C .!9\\ns!lil)õrCarrir
1rr. B.l('on
was a man 0 markeJ relIgIOus prIncIples. Ills lIt-ath oc('nrred December
2
nd, I"S
.
282
DEATH IN THE FOREST
By hard work he cleared these lots, and in time hall onc of the finest
farms in the vicinity. retiring when age Cl'l'l't upon him to reside 111
\ralkl'rton, whl're he died in 1!)o3. Another pioneer of If{-l-!I was
Thomas Toùd. who took up se\ eral lots just ea
t of \ralkerton.
After clearing these and re
iding there for nearly thirty year
. he
HlO\"eJ to the Parry Sound Di
trict. His son, Archihald, now a
retired farmer, is a re:,ident of "" alkerton.
The narratÍ\'e of a tragic incillent of the early day
will not be
out of place whilf' writing of the first pioneers of the township. One
J an l es \Yallace. who had
ettled on a lot on the
outh line near where
t1w \ralkerton Hailway
tation ip>, was. in t1w winter of lx30. rehun-
ing from Durham where he had gone to obtain supplies.
\.fter cross-
e ing tIll'
allgel'n at the jam, referred to in Chaptf'r Ill., he walked
along the north line to )[1'. )Ic\\lânney's and resteJ. A:-::. nig-ht ùrew
on Ill' started to cross to t1w Durham line, exp('eting to get a
far as
)[1':-:. .1a
per's that night. There was no broken path through the
no\\'. and lw :-:eenll'd to ha, e mi:-::,ed the hIelzl' on the tn'e:::;. After
night fell, hi:-: I'hout
\\"('1"(' 11l'ard at the .Ja:-:per:-,'
hanty. :::;0 me
:-:tri.lngN:-:. guest:-: there that night. anll the ho
-s lighted cedar
tOl'che:-, alHl Wl'nt out in tIll' darklll's
into the fl)re
t to tind out the
l'('a:-:on of th(' !'houting. f'tarting in a \\Tong- direction. a::-: they foun:=!
1,y the feehler
oUIlll, thl'
' r('Ìtunf'd and startet! again, when somc
fcoli:-:Ï1 OIW sllggf'sted that thl' cries wen' not those of a human heing,
1111t tho:-:e of a pant1H'r-in the woods at night, a very plausihlp theor.,,-
and onf' that wa:-; aeeeptpd hy all hut :\1 r:-,. .1 asper. A:-: soon a:, it was
(lay she sent lwr l)oy:-: out to try a11l1 filHl in the sno,,- a trail or other
e,-jd('ne(' of who or what had uttercil the eril's. Charle:-:.1 asper found
a trail, whie-h he fo110\\"('11 up. awl hdof(' long fo ul1l1 tl lf' Loch of 1?Q0l'
J am('.; \\'}llla ('
', frozl'n
ti1r. a y i dim to the dan gpr::: of Ii fc in the
hackwoO(l
. o Ill' of )1 r:-:. .1 H8per\,
on:-: wall
(.d all tIll' ,yay to Owen
SoullIl for a e-()l'Oncr, a Dr. Gonion. The n'nliet. of ('our
e, was In
aee-offlanc'l' with fad:-: a:-: hl're related. The body wa
hurif';l III the
lm:-:h not far from wlwre it was found.
]n (,hapter Y. arp to hi' found t1l(' fad:-: relating to the opening
up through tl}(' fon'
t of the Durham Hoa(l in 1 H30. amI in the fol-
lowing ye
lr of tIll' }"oílll thpn callpl1 thl' Durham and Southampton
HOH(l. wh ieh road ('oìllmencptl hl'hn'l'n lot...: 1:) and 1 (Î of tIll' Durham
Hoatl, anll ran north to the fifth e(ml"('
:;;iOll. thl'lll"1' Wl'
t to the
pn'sent Elora 1:oa(l. whi('h from that point \\"H:-: al:-:o o}lelll'tl that year
EARLY SETTLERS
283
to Pai:-:ley.1 The opellin7 of the:;c ro<HI:-: enahled
pttl<'r
to take up
hm<1s had\: of tJH' free grant:-:. Among thl' most prominent of those
who ùid 80 \\.1-; .J ohn E("kr()f(l
awl \\ïlliam Chi:-:holm. For :5ome
month:; thl'sf' two fam i I ie...: wen' the mo.:t nortlwrl y f:ett1l'rs in the
to\\ll:-:hip, hl'ing :-:PIl<lratt'<<l from their nl'an':..;t lll'ig-hh()r
h
' one or two
milp:::) of unhroken forei't. The name.':-: of
ome of tlH' other early
settlN:' not elspwhpl"L' nH'ntioneù are .1:"; follow:-:: \\ïlliam
lill:;,
Hidlar(1 E,erett. Philip (;I'P:,on. Thoma:; Traynor, ::-\pba:-:tian.
JOhll
awl \ndrew Kir:-:tim'. LeoHard amI William I>i
kif:on and
rOhll
ll.XciJ. on tlH' :-:outh Jinp: .Janll'
awl
amu('1
1
\\llÎnney. Hobert
(;O\\anloek, .1olm Littk, .1(':-:eph anJ .lohn llarkley. .Tohn an<l .1o:-:pph
Lamh,
\hram, .Tame:-:. .\ndn'w and \\ïlliam HtH\Cmd, .Tohn and
!:ohf>rt Bruc.e. .J allH':-: Bell. .\nth()n
". .h1ml':-: awl Charlt'
Iyle:-:, on the
north linp: Hohprt ] r OflH'. Hohert Franll'. "ïlliam
ronL'n. .\[lam
ClpIHent. (;('Of71' B. Lamont. .J an14':,. Thoma:-: awl Andn'w "ïl
on,
"ïll iam and Hithaf(l (; uinn awl tho:-:(' llwntioned in ('hapt...'r III. and
eli'pwhprp, who took up farm lot:-; on tl1<' Durham lim'. B(':,;ides thc:3e
f>arI.," 8etth'rs here l1l('ntiOlW(l. thf'rl" wert' llHm
. other
.
onH' of whom
han' 1110\('<1 away awl !t'ft hnt thl' n'('ol1edion of .1 name. Thl' .fir
t
ho
' hahy ",hidl ('allu' to hrig-htl'n tl1l' hOH\(, of a piom'pr of Brant
ame
to thp Ing- !'-hant.'. of \Yilliam (.. King u) .Tohn
ton in .THIll'. lR50.
Thi:-: a.1<1ition to tIll' sl,ttlenll'nt Wùi' ehri
t('n('<l Xathanie1. To
[r.
1In th(' original Ilraft of ('oloni7.:ltion TIorlcls in the t'ount." of Bru('f'. tIt('
E]ora Roaa was ]aitl out to run :llong tll(' boundar." line lwtwel'n Brant
:1111] (;repn(lt.k, Th(' oTl]p1' making the ('hange, causing the road to follow
thf' lin,. ('ast of ('on('l'ssion " B," tht' rluthor has heen unable to lIiSI'ovl'r.
Tlw " jog" (as t]w Ill'tour W:lS (.alled), as abovl' ùl's('rihed, opening up
till' ro:ul a hlo('k still further to the east, is sait] to have lwpn the result
of inftupnec hrought to hp:lr h.v a hutd spe('u]ato1', who had purehasN] a
bhu'k known :IS " ProlHlfoot's Blo('le" consisting of lots 1 to .3, ,'onces-
sions t ana ;).
.JO]1I1 E('kfonl W:IS by hirth a
t'ot('hman. F.tltH'atl'd for the ministry
at Edinhurgh (.ni"l'rsity, II(' was for twenty-fivp Yl'ars a t'lerg., man of tI;e
(Tnitl'd I'rl'shytf'ri:ln ('huTl'h in
t'otlanl1. \\1n'n in mit1a11' ]if(' hf', with his
f:lln i 1.'-, cmigratl'tI, in the summl'r of 1
;) 1, to ('an:u]a, His ohjN,ti,-e point
was somp t]esirablf' spot in tllf' h:lI'kwoods. This IH' found in the woods of
Brant, wlu'rl' he tool< up lots 1 and
. ('011('(>ssion I), and lot 1. ('01)('('ssion
Î. His famil.v rt'lIIai'll'd for thrl'l' months at Durham, ",hi]1' a log Hhantv
was Iwing huilt. :\lr. E('kforcl W:lS t'vt'r 1'1':ul.v to give his sl'n"in's in U;t'
ont1t!('ting of ,llllhlil' worsh.ip; tll."rl' art' hilt few I'n'shyterian I'ongrt'gations
In tIllS part of tIll' ('ounty 111 Willell h(' has not prt':wlu.t!, His sf'rvil"f's "'ert'
much appn'l'iatpd
lIId wl'n' in gn'at demantl to fill an.'" Ì('mporary va('aIH'Y:
many a eongregatlOn W(l\tltl h:1V(' IU'en J.!latl to han' hall him a!'l its settlel]
minish'r. I n IS." Ill' \\ as f'll'l,tl'll n'f""I', hut resignee] to ae('ept the
position of LtH'al Hupf'rilltf'lIt1l'lIt of St'hools, \\ hi('h of1iI'e h" ]w](1 until it
,\ as aholisllI'd, i
_nl ", L. :\1.1'. Et'kfonl :.tlso hpl(1 tht' ot1in' of township
trpasun'1' from. 11'\,._ l1.nt1l IllS df'ath, whlt'h o('I'nrn'd Odolwr 2
nd, 1
"1,
'" hen Ill' was III IllS f'lJ..,ht."-st't'ond .\ t'ar.
2
.t
INDIAN SCARE
and )Ir
. Thomas
\.dair, four months later, came the first girl baby
born in the township, who, on attaining womanhood, was married to
Donald
inclair, :M.P.P., and sur-dye:; the death of her esteemed
husband. The first medical Ulall to render professional assistance to
the pioneers wa:; Dr. 'Yilliam Bird, who resided near Hanover, on
lot 67, concession 1, S.D.R.
In December, 1b52, the settlers of Brant were the victims of a
fal:se alarm, which at the time create<l quite a sensation. A rumor
in some manner spread from shanty to shanty through the woods that
there was likely to be a rising of the Indians, with the object of driv-
ing out the "'hites. bo alarmed was one of the settlers, J. G.
Breckenridge, a local preaeher, that he packed up his effects and
cleared out, never to return. That Christmas Eve a large party of
friends were gathered in one of the homes toward Hanover, cele-
brating the season in a convi,-ial mannpr. Hearing some unusual
shouting, the doors were opened to lll'ar lllOl e distinctly, when the
cry came upon their ears, "The Indians hfi\-e come, the Indians have
come!" In an instant all ,,-as confusion and consternation. The
women folk hastily gathered together a few things preparatory to a
hurried flight, while the mf'Il went out to investigate, which resulted
in their finding that the noise ,,-as hut the loud shouting of a hand
of drunken men, who, carrying a pail of whiskey, were going from
door to door wishing everyone" .A Merry Christmas." The falsity of
the rumor ahout the Indians was soon estahlished, and the settlers
quieted down after a bad sca reo
After the" free grant" lanels were taken up, settlers coming into
the county seeking lands wpre largely i.nfluenceJ. in their decision
where to settle by the consideration of aecessihility. Brant at the
earl
' pC'riocl of it,; fo:ettlenwnt was accessihle only by way of the Dur-
ham Hoad. This fact, to a certain extent, deflected the tide of
settlers to other localities. .After the Elora as well as the Durham
Road was opened, Brant offpred to the settler a!' df'sirahle land.;; and
as pqnall
' a('ces
ihle as any other of the inland townships in the
county; hut pven then Brant failed to receive a fair share of settlers,
hecause in some manner a report spread that the lands in Carrick
,,-pre more desirahle than those in Brant. So jUf'-t as soon as the sur-
veyor!' hail completed the f'-une.,' of Carrick, which was in 18:>2, a
rush set in to ohtain a squattt'l"s claim 1 to a farm lot in that township,
IThf'se lands in ('arrick did 110t come into the market until the time
of the" Big Land Sale" in 18.)-1:. See Appendix K.
JA
1ES BROCKLEBAXK
2
,j
a.nd for a short time the land::: in Brant" ere compar<lÌi,.ely neglected.
In 1b53 the :-:ettlement of Brant from conce:o,ion 4: north COlll-
lllPllced in earnest, anJ Ly the end of 183-1 it was completed. Promi-
nent among those who enten'd Brant at thi:-; time" ere Hi{:hard and
James Hro{:klehank. 1 The following narrative, related by Henry
)TcXal1y, of hi
settling in Brant ahout this time, throws a light upon
thp conditions whieh e
isted at tho:::,c years: Henry )[cX ally, accom-
panied by hi.s brother George, "Iltl'red Brant, prospel"tin
for farm
lalHl:-:, )Ian
h ;!
th, lð33. The., íouJ1l1 that beyond the north line lay
all unhroken forl',st that had been e
plored ùy few. Healizing the
a(h antage it would be to them in making a selection of de:::irable
land, to ha\
some one .who had at l('a
t tramped through that part of
the to" nship, they struck a bargain with ,.
tonl'llla:,on" Horne,
"hom tll('Y met at hi:-:: farm a littlc Wf'
t of 1 [anon
r, to take them
),ack into the hu!'-h. \Iter a day or
o spent in going' along the blazed
lines as left hy the
llneyors, tlwy decideù on land::i situated on the
si \.th anJ seventh con('e;;:
ion
. _\ Her making the necessary slashing
to e
tabIÜ:h a
fJ.natt('r'
(.laim. the.,. procf'edecl to
augeen to register
the !-oamf'. anù make tllf-.ir first paynlf'ut of ten per cent.. whieh was
equal to $20 per lot. The,sC' lot;;: wC'rC' the first to bf' takf'n up on this
concession lÍ1lf', hut when they BlOW'rl in twc1n' m0nths later. there
was only one lot lpft which had not hl'('n taken up. This they al
o
f'{"urC'd. )[r.
[cXal1y says that )fakolm 1f('Lean, tllC' po
tmas:ter
at ,," alkprton. acted as a ]oca I deput." for the Crown Laml . \gpnt. TIc
llfid a map of the to" nship, on whieh he would write in pencil the
nanlf' of allY pf'rson wishing to !'('cure a lot, then wllC'n word came
from )[r. )[cNaLb that the necessary application and paynwnt had
l.Tanw
BrocklehanK wn
horn in :--t
rteml'er. H
:2,"", at :\fa1tOIl, county
of Pepl. Hl' was l'n,..ragN1 in farming in his native count.\' until in 1 q."')3
he movl'd to Brant, where he took up Bl'vpr[ll farm lot
on tht> fifth con('PS-
Bion, which he farmed Buccessfull). Ht' also. a num1wr of years latl'r.
('ngagl'11 in milling, having pun'hased a larw. intprpst in the :Maple Hill
Mills, hilt in this venture 1w lost mone,.. ::\fro Broeklt'bank l'arh. took
an int('rest in municipal politil's. He hphi the position of <1pputy rl
e\.p of
Brant for the .\pars ]".')9, 'GO, 'Gl, and of rp('ve of the township from
1 "'fj
to 1
(jq. and from 18ï6 to 18ï9. :I1H1 from 1
flï to IHÜn, inclusiv(',
making a total of fiftepn years. :MI". Dl"lwkl('hauk was also wardl'n of
the I'OUII t.\' for thl' five ypars, ]f;tj-t to 1 "fi
, inl'1usiv('. In ')olitil'
:\[r.
Brockl{'hank was a f'onsl'rvative. Hl' UlIslH't'essfully, in l
(jï, ('ontpste<1
the riding of Routh I1rul'l' with the Hon. E(l\\"[ll"(l Blakl' for t}l(' Hou
p of
Assembly. In 1
ï2 he again l'ntl'rpd thp field of politi.
. rUlllling for a
l'at in th(' Hou!'!e of Common!'!, but was dl'f('atpd 1JV R. :\L 'VeIls. ::\Ir.
Brol'k]('hank was a ('onsisÌl'ut nl('m1wr of tll(' ::\h.thoàist (,hurch, and wa
largply illstrullll'ntal in the huilding of a fram" ('huJ"('h for that dpnolllina-
tion, er('(.tpd in the YNlr 1
G9. on a 1'01"llf'r of hi!'! farm. Aftpr:1I1 al'tiv('
life hp I'lIh'rpd intn his rpst, .'uly 31"11. Iflnl. 1I1111'h rpgreth.'IÌ.
286
l\IUNICIPAL EVE
TS
ueCll made, the name would he writtcll in ink. It is c1aillH'd that one-
third of the inhabitants of Brant are of Germall birth or dc
cent. It
was ahout the time of whidl we are writing that they cOlllmenced
to come into the township, taking up land pretTy mudl in one locality,
the easterly part of Brant. Th(':,(' German:': were large from
\[eck-
lenburg and the north of Uermany : in rpJigion, they "'cre mostly
Protestant
. .Excellent, thrift.'"
ettler:, they pron
d to bo. The fol-
lowing arc the names of
Ollle of the earlie:-;t of the::,e G('rman settlers:
-J o]m Dier:.;Ü.in, (,harlps and Fn'dl'ric
h1lh', .10hn \rilkin,
[artin
St.aJtlëullll'r. )[iehac1 and Uottlieh Schrol'lh'r, Hl'nry Huhl, .J ohn and
Fred('rick )Iontag.
"'lll'n the llIunieipal union of all of the town:-:hips in dIP county
was hroken Up.l the two town
hips of Brant awl Carrick \\"('1'(' torllled
into one mmlÍeipa]ity. Thi::, union ]a:,:tpJ for the yeëu
lR,;-l- and
1835, on the 1st .J anuary, 183ö. eaeh township hecallll' a sl'}mrate muni-
cIpal corporation. The fir:,t Council of the united municipality ('on-
sistpd of .fo8eph Walkpr. .101m Eekford. Xathanil'1 Line:-;, "ïJliam
"" alker and .1 mn'r>:-: Ben::-on. .r o
(\ph 'Yalker was l.ho
('n reeH,.2 anù
\..rchiba1d )[c '
icar town:-:hip clerk, The name:-: of his
UCl'e:::..;ors in
office are gin'n in a footllote. 3 lIl' was town:-:hip trea:,un'r a5 well,"
but this latter position pas:-:('(l in lK37 to 'r. ,rill oug:hhy, who held
it for twelw' ."pars. He was '<11('l"l,\,tkd by.1. G. Coopt'r and he by John
Eckford. who died in offiee: his :':on J auH'.; C. Eekfonl then received
the appointm('nt and held the offic
of township tn'a:-:l1fl'r from lRS1
until the pnd of l!HI.;. During llI
aflminii'otration thp finan('('s of
Brant have upen in a most
ati:-:fador.\- i'otatc: the. judil'iou
manage-
JRc>e _\ppen11ix F.
T1H' f()llowing al'e the names, with the
'ears of office, of those who
have held the reevc>ship of Brant down to HHI() : .Toseph Walker, 1854, '.);),
';;6; .John Bckford, part of IS.)i; \yi]]iam Ha]J, part of IS:)i, '5H; John
Bruce, 1
59, '110, 'fi1; .Tames BroC'k]('ballk, IS62, '63, '64, '6.), '66, '67,
'HS, 'i6, 'ii, 'is, 31111 part of ISi!), '9i, 'ÇlS, '99. 1900; .r. C. Eekford, IS69,
'iO; .Tohnston Rmith, ISil; \Villiam ('o]Jins, 18i2, 'i
, 'i-1-, 'i.); B. ('annon,
part of IS/H; .1ames Tolton, 18
o, '81, 'S2, .
3, '8-1, 'S,), 'R6, 'Hi, 'RS, '
9;
Andrew Waechter, IH90, '91; Rotwrt Long, 1R92; WiUiam Litt]f', lS9
,
'9-1, '96: Gf'orge Sirrs, IS!):>; R. Richardson, 1901; 'V. H. Brocklebank,
1902; .\lex. .\1111erson, 1903, '04; Fred Frooke, 1903, '06.
3The fo]Jowing are the Hames of the succeeding township clerks to the
year 1906: Peter 1I('Viear, William .r. Scott, A. S. Mackintosh, J. Jami('-
son, .T. G. ('oopf'r, D. Sullivan, .r. C, Eckford, Thos. R. Todd, J!lmes S.
Laurie, and ,r. H. Cannon.
4Therc> was a shortage of a large amount in his acconnts, the particulars
of whiC'h is IH.'ellless to record.
THE RESERVE I<TND
2
7
ment of it...; '" Hl':'l'rH' Funtl '"I ]m:, permitted the l'l'l'dioll of tl'H'ral
expemá\"e steel hridgc:" whil"h hè:l\"e heen built \\ ithuut any é
c..TI:-
i,'e
increa
e in taxe
. or in tIlt' i:,:,ue of deht'lltun'
to pay for thc-ir l"on-
:-trudion, The unly dehenture:, whidl Brant hll:' issue(l for l"onstruc-
tion uf puhlie \\ ork
\wre for a
l"heme of dn1ÍlUlgl', lltfpcting
lmlP
thirt
"-::;ix farm lots Ill'è:ll' .J ohl1:;tou':; l'o nlP 1'::';. 'I'll(> work \ra..; eOIll-
men
eù in IH-;-!I, anJ eOllll'll'tec..1 two year:-; laÌL'r. To pay for thi:; work,
dchL'utuI'l':' for $3,()Üü wen' i
ueù iu lHHO, followed in the 11I'\.t YPèH
hy an is:,Ul' alllounting to *l"j()O. Bt'sides t]w:,t' dt'henture:" Brant
has i:.':;ued otlwrs in ai(l of railway:;. In IH-;-H. thl'
t'èlr that hOllu:,e:,
were :;ou
ht for the ('on:,tl'udioll of till' railway to \\ïarton, Brant
gan' a hOllUS toward:-; it of
l.j.()OO, The raihnl
" ('omIHlllY hring
finè:llwially :,trè:llHh'(l, it ('allie had\: for a further houu:; till' following
year. ....\.:' there wa:-; no hope of t]w to\rnship as a wholL> Ulllll'rtaking
thi:; adllitional finaneial hurden, tIll' ratl'IHl.n'r::, in tIll' Pël:'Ìl'rn part
of the to\rn:,hip were a
kc(l to do :'0. aud in I'l':-']Hm:-'t' yoted a sectional
houus, amouutiug to !t:).(1(11I. The ll('('(':,sary hy-Iaw for thi::.; earried,
and the dl'l)('nture
\\"('rl' i
SlH'd in IH; !).
Of till' fallliliL't' whil"h
t'ttlt' 1 on the fret' grant ]aml:, in Brant
thcn' wen' man." who l"allle frolll :-,(,ttlt'III('nts wlH'I"L' thL'.\" had po:,-
io-....s('(l auù prizp(l tl1(> pri,"ileg(' of att('I)(lillg ehurl"h
:('I'\ i(>l'
. It wa:;
to he e\.pl'l>ÌI'(l. tlll'l1, that sh'p:- ,\oulll he early takpIl h.\" sHeh to pl'Oyirll'
that whil"h, h('n' in tht' hush. tlll'.\" Illi::ised :.'0 grpatly" ThL' r(':m1t of
th(' ('frort:, tlll'Y put forth to llll'('t thi:-: want wa
th(' Imilding of the
ti rst ('h nrl'h PI Ii ti(.(' in t]ll' coun (L It wa
hut a pI a ill log hou:,l'
o fl'('t
h,\'
(i fl'et in
izl', hut as it \\"a:-: thl' first of many (.hur('lll'
art('n\(\}'(l
to lIl' f'l'('(,tI'II in tIll' l"ounty, it will hI' hnt pl'Opl'r to gi\e in dl'tail th('
parti('ular
of it
in(>l'ption. I'\'('n if t]1l' author lIIay P1'1' ill heing SOllH'-
what proli\., 1Ian.\' of t111' fa('1:, ]1('re gi\l'll an' èlS }'('latl'(l h,\'
[r.
TllOlnas .\Ilair. On(' (If its foulld('rs. _\ nll'l'ting of tIll'
('ttl('rs wa
11l'1:1 .J 111.\" :)th. 1 H.') 1. at thl' hOll";(' of HolH'rt 1-'ra1ll(' (lot L'). l'Oul"(.
i(Jn
1.
.1J.J:,) to takl' :-:tI'p
tOWi1fll (,I'I'ding' a Imi!llinp: for )luhlj(' \\01'-
ship. .\mong tlll'!""' rr('
I'nt W('f(' 1II('lIIh('rs of th(' ('IIllJ'(,h of Englal1ll,
1rl'tholli:,t:-:, PI'I':,hytf'l'ian and Olll' COllgTl'gationalist (1r r. Frame).
T]l(' first illtl'lltioll of the 1I1('(,tillg wa
to arrange for a huil,ling to he
'This fund, amoullting to ahout
-l,,"j()tI, originatPII in grallts n'('t'iv('II
from till' Uovl'rnml'nt on :\(>('ount of tI)(' "Lallli I mpro\'t'IIIt'ut I.'und,"
TI!t' To\\nship ("oun
'il t;>f ('ach ylar han' abstainpd from ('III'roaching Oil
tillS n:st'rví', uSlIIg It slIn 1'1.\: for tl)(' pu.rpost' of ti ding t hI' mu nil' i pali t.\'
o\,pr tlllll'S of IlI'a\'.\' ('xpl'nlhtnrí', spr('achng slll'h 0\'1'1' s('\'l'ral \"I'ars, and
this without l"l'sorting to thl' hOl 1"11\\ iug of mOllt'Y. .
288
FIRST CHURCH
used as a union meeting house for all denominations. :Mr. Adair said:
" ...\.s far as I remember, the names of those in fayor of a union meet-
ing-house were the
Iessrs. Todd, two of the "ïlsons and two of the
1\Iordens. At first I favored the same; so did Robert Frame and
Adam Clement. After a friendly discussion, George B. Lamont, who
appeared well versed in church law, took the ground that this plan
would not work, as the building and land would hm e to belong to
some one denomination there represented. 1\Ir. Lamont's resolution
to this effect was agreed to by a majority. On a show of haB(l::. being
taken, a large majority was found to be in favor of the building being
built by the Presbyterians. Those belonging to other denominations
then left the meeting. The next step was the appointing of a com-
mittee to collect suhscriptions. The committee consi
ted of <ieorge B.
Lamont, John Bruce and myself. After a canva
s of the settlement
from the county line to Johnston's Corners we were able to report
f6 18s 6d subscribed, two bunches of shingle, and the land on which
the building was to stand, given by Robert Frame. rrhe logs Wf're
got out, anù two weeks after the meeting a bee was held for the
raising. The corner men were Joseph Lamont,.Tames Rowand
John
and Thomas Adair." The Hey. Dr. Torrance. in a letter, thus
de!'crihe
this place of wor!'hip: "On
ahhath preached in the new
church of Brant, the first place of worship that has been raised in the
township. The building is of logs, the spaces bet ween which had not
been chinked: there was no door, neither were there any windows; the
boarcls ,,'cre just laid down for the floor, and the seats were temporary.
K ot ha, ing been aware that the church was to be occupied on this
occa!'ion I was a1togpther unprepared with an oppning sermon. but I
prefaced Psalm cxxii. at con!'iderahle length, and gave my remarks
as direct a bearing as I could upon the circumstances of the congre-
gation." It is to he noted that the building was not completed or
fitted for worship directly after the walls were raised. and the Rev.
Dr. Torrance's description is of the building in 1852. During the
intpryening period sprvices were hcld in thp house of Gporgp B.
J..amont, close at hand. It was there that the Rev. .T. ,Yo Barrie
organized (September 14th. 1851) the congregation which wa!' known
as the" Fnited Presbyterian Church. Durham Line. Brant." It was
six years after this bcfore this congregation had a spttled mini!'ter-
the late Rev. n. C. )[offatt, D.D. During' these six ypars Brant was
but a mission !'tation. supplied hy membcrs of the Presbytery. students
and whatever other !'upply was ayailahle, the Be,". .T ohn Eckford fre-
Jon=, ECKFORH
p.
S3
.J.na:s BI{O("J"p:n \...K
.... :!"'.)
,
LT. -COL. A. bP}WAT
P 186
J O";
:/'II "'.\J.K Elt
1'. 2!'.a
'fAVEHXS
2
9
quentlJ filling the pulpit. The congregation here de
cribetl Luilt a
frame church in IHûU in \r alkerton. Its further hi
tory i
recorded
in the chapter on ""alkertoll. The Hev.
Ir.
Ioffatt, when he accepted
the pa
torate in 185., :;tipulated that the congregation build him a
mall house as a dwelling. This was put at the west end of the
church building, and was as mouest in its dimensions as was the
ehun'h, being only twenty feet by twenty-two feet. Hey.
lr. .Moffatt
had a large field in which to labor. anu laid the foundation for the
Presbyterian churches at \Yest Brant, Hanover,
Ialeollll and West
Bentinck. His stipend from all the various charges during seyeral
year... was but $40U per annum. The first church at
Ialcohll was
a huildin
of logs erected late in the fifties. In 18ì3 this simple
tructure Wêl8 replaeed by a good-sized briek building, whieh was
opened free of debt. Hey. Daniel Duff was the first pastor, and con-
tinul'ù in charge until his death ill the fall of 1899. His successor
i
the Hev. A. Leslie. The \rest Brant congregation above referred
to worshi
s in a substantial stone building erected in the summer of
1
6!), and opened for worship on the last Sabbath of that year. This
congregation has for years been united to the one at Pinkerton, form-
ing a joint eharge. The author regret... not having the data to enable
him to !lH'ntion when the other congregations in the town
hip were
formed and churches erected.
The number of tavern lieellses in Brant were more numerous in
l
.)
than forty year:; later. The liel'nse fee at the earlier date was
only í3. It may interest some reader. whose nlPmor.v goes back as
faT. to recall the names of t1H' licf'nsP-holder
in that Yf'ar. They
w('re: .Tanw:; \raterson, "ïlliam lluminge. .John Sherridan. Henry
Halm. .John Hopper, Peter )fcYicar, Thomas Bilkie, Hugh Ben,
.J ohn Smith. Pf'tf'r nrahhin, .James .r Onf'8 anò .J amf'S GafTal1l}
.. 'l'his
latter's tawTn gayp a nam(' to the locality. which was known as
" UafTanev's Corners" (lot 4. roncession A\)' whcrp, besi<l('s the hotel,
thpre was al
o a store which was kf'pt by one "ïlliam ::\f cDonald.
TTf'I"P a ppculiar accidf'nt oc('urrC'd in lR.jR. Thp proprietor of the
stort', aftcr striking a match to light a ('anòlC'. carf'lessly thrpw the yet
hla7.ing match hphincl him. w}wrp. ev('n more carel('s
l
.. lay a powder
kf'g with thf' lin off. and a small quantity of powdf'r tlwrein. As 1'oon
II..; tlJ(' mat('h lit on thp pO\wlf'r thf'r(' wa
an f'xplo
ion that hlf'\\" the
front out of the storp, ancl '[eDona1cl with it. Pnfortllnatply, the
.Iamagp nnd lo!'s Wfl
not ('on fined to thl' hui1òing anll its ('on tents,
?\fr. )fcT)onalrl 8uffpring total lo
s of !-'ight a
t1w rf'
l11t of the
{':\ plo
ion.
11
290
YILLAGES
- 'Valkerton, for four years after it became the county town, con-
tinued to remain a part of the township of Brant. It was 1871 before
the Act of incorporation was passed and the separation of the town
from the township took place. The apportionment of financial
obligations and assets was arranged by a Board of Arbitrators, con-
sisting of Judge Kingsmill, James Brocklebank and 'Y. H. Ruby.
The basis in most cases for division was in the proportion of $2 to $23.
Over the Land ImprO\-ement Fund, payable by the Government, some
difficulty arose. ,rhat was the final settlement of this point the
author is unable to state.
The fact of a railway skirting along both the east and west bound-
ary of the township has led to the growth of villages adjacent to the
railways, while the rest of the township at a distance from the rail-
ways has a village pO}Julation only at l\Ialcolm. )Iaple Hill, when
the mills were erected, gave promise of developing into a village, but
being so neaT both 'Valkerton and Hanover, it has given up the
struggle. Dunkeld and Ellengowan, in the days before the railway
was opened, when the Elora Road was one of the main arteries of
communication within the county, also promised to be centres of trade
for the inhabitants in the immediate vicinity. There again the rail-
way blighted the bud before the fiO\ver blossomed, and trade strayed
to Cargill and Eden GrO\'e.
Cargill is on the boundary line of Brant and Greenoek, and will be
specially referred to in the chapter on the latter township. Its three
handsome brick churches lie in Brant, as does also its railway station,
which is connected by a long stretch of granolithic pavement with the
village proper.
Eden Grove, or cc Pinkerton Station," as styled in the railway time-
tables, commenced its existence with the opening of the Wellington,
Gre
' and Bruce Railway. 1\Iunn & 'Yebster about that time built a
saw and shingle mill, which gave employment to ahout ten hands.
The post-office was established in 1875. Alex. Shaw wa
:first post-
master. Thomas Pinkerton was the next postmaster. He also kept
a general store, and as a competitor in seeking the trade. of that
locality he had Thomas McKay. The 1\fethodist::: here built a neat
frame church at an early date, in which has worshipped an active
congregation to this day. Eden Grove is the point on the railway
nseò for shipment h.v P.inkf'rton, (jlammis and all that section of
cOllntr
T. Its nearness to Pinkerton and Cargill precludes the hope of
mllch further expansion.
BOARD OF HEALTH
291
Elmwood received its name from a gigantic elm tree that once
stood at the intersection of )Iain and Queen Streets. The post-office'
there was established in 1864; the duties of postmaster were under-
taken by John Dirstein, to whom as much as to anyone belon
s the
credit of the founding of the village. By 1815 there were two stores
there, one kept by John Reinhardt, th
other by Hchroeder & Watson.
In the same year the place boasted of Ì\\ 0 saw-mills 0\\ ned by Johnson
Smith and John Dirstein respectively. Bhortly after the year last
mentioned churches were built by the )Iethodists, the 1tlennonites and
German Evangelical congregations. It was on August 21th, 1881,
that the first locomotive reached Elmwood. This was the advent of
assured prosperity to the village, which, situated, as it is, half way
between Hanover and Chesley, is the shipping point for a large section
of country.
Hanover, until HHJ3, lay partly in the township of Brant. On
action being taken to extend the boundaries of the village, but lately
incorporated, so as to include in the corporation all on the Brant side
of the village, the Brant people interested objected to this nolèns
volens course of action. In this the County Council supported them,
but it was unavailing. The village prevailed upon the Legislature to
pass an
\ctl extending its boundar
es so as to embrace 175 3:cres of
land in Brant, on which resided 325 inhabitants, and a 13:rge number
of buildings, among which were two furniture factories, a grist mill,
a woollen mill, besides shops, stores and dwellings, which altogether
haa an a:,:-;(':,:,('ù yalue of $95.650. [t was to be expected that som
of
the ratepayers would feel sore over what was thought to be a procæd-
ing-
omewhat arbitrary in it:, nature: but cooler thoughts have pre-
vailed, and reflection shows that if advantages are derived from
proximity to a town, it is only fair and proper to pay to the town a
rightful tax.
In 1893 the Brant Board of Health took vigorous action in opposi-
tion to the proposed 8ystem of sewerage of the town of Walkerton
being pPTmitted to flow into the Saugeen River. 1tlr. J ames Nesbitt,
thp secretary of the board. was very persistent and succeeded in having
the Provincial Board of Health visit Walkerton and hear the evidence
in support of the claim of the township, that the river would be
dangerously polluted by the flow of sewage into it. The Elderslie
Board of Health united with that of Brant in the action taken, but
were unsuccessful in obtaining the injunction asked for.
IIIT. r.(lw. YfT. ('hap. !'if).
292
" TB E BLUE SPRING"
It would hardly be taÍl' to Brant Township to close thi
chapter
devoted to its history without referring to a remarkable natural curi-
osity it has to show to the visitor. "That is known as "The Blue
Sp.ring" is situated not far from ::\laple Hill, a little up stream on the
so
th side of the river, about a quarter of a mile back from and some
sixty feet abov
it. The water of this spring possesses a slight mineral
taste, yet is so highly saturated with mineral matter that the moss
through which the oyerflow of the spring percolates becomes petrified,
and large objects of wood sunk in the spring are encrusted as with
stone the color of iron rust. 1'he spring may be found by following
up the rivulet flowing from it from the place where it emptic::; into
the
augeen. The spring is situated in a clump of dense woods which
have hardly been touched by man. The water ri.."C's in a large basin
some fifty feet or more in diameter and of considerable depth. The
water is as clear as possible, but in bulk, as seen in the basin it fills, it
exhibits a markedly rich blue tint, hence its name. In many place::;
in the basin are to be seen, sunk at various depths and at all angles
to one another, hunks of trees covered with the stony deposit. 'Yhen
the sun's rays pierce through the tops of the surrounding trees a(
d
illumine the depths of the basin it glows as with the fire of a
sapphire, in strong contrast to the dark shade of the surrounding
forest, impressing fhe beholder with a never-to-be-forgotten sense of
beauty. This spot has frequently been suggested as a site for a sani-
tarium. Some day, possibly, this suggestion may become an accom-
plished fact.
CH4\PTEH XXI.
1V ALKERTON.l
THE history of the town of 'Valkerton is so closely associated
with that of the township of Brant, of which municipality it formeù
for milny y('ar
a pari, unlil hy
pe{"ial .\{.t of Parliament it was
incorporated as a town,2 that in writing of the town it is necessary
to refer to the township also.
Thp first part of the town
hip of Brant to be surveyed by the
Crown for settlement \nl
t1ul tract consisting of the first and second
(:onl'l
!oI.;ions north and :suuth of the Durham Road. 'l'he farm lots
on tJl{'
{' concessions were known as "free grants." (The third con-
(.(
ion
were al
o surveyed at the same time, but the farms thereon
were not "free grant:-::') This survey was made under the direction
IIf an ()rd('r-in-( 'OIlJ){.il tlat..d 'tßth 4\1\gU
t. IH-t8, and was e}"t'cut('ù
hy A. P. Brough, P. L.
. The farms in the" free grant" tract were
open for location in the spring and summer of 1849, and immediately
thereafter land was taken up in what now forms the town plot of
,ralk('rton.
During his tour of prospeeting for a .. frce grant" location, in
the month of }Iay, 1849, Thomas ....\dair3 stood on the" Clay Bank.,"
ovprlooking thp present site of \Valkerton, late one afternoon as the
sun was declining in the west, vif'wing, as he has
incc cxprpssecl it,
thp most beautiful landscape he ever beheld. The valley beneath
him contained many wild cherry and plum trees, then robed white
with blossoms, and whosp perfume ladened the air with rich sweet-
ness. In every direction hill and vale were covered by an .expan!
e
of primeval forest. shinin{T bright in its coat of verdure frcsh from
the hand of spring. rrhe sun as it
ank lightpned up, Or ea!'t in deep
shade, the masseB of foliage, and projprted long sharlows over the
fla!o'hin,r water8 of the Saugeen, making a combination of sylvan
'TIll' Irlllian muue fur thiR pla('(" is " },{ab-8ko-8c-sing, JJ ll1t.'aning " A
little marHh."
aWalkcrton i8 probably llniqUl> as a muni('ipality, inasmuch a8 it never
was a village, but blo!momt"d into bt"in
a full-llf'd
ed town at a bound.
JRpe in C'haptn TIT. whf'rf'
rr. Adair and the othpr earl)' pioneers are
furth('r m('ntionf><1.
293
294
FIRST TO SETTLE
loveliness so enchanting that Mr. Adair ever spoke of it with
enthusiasm, while Kenneth Kemp,.a staid, unimpassioned Scot,
his sole companion, after silently contemplating the lovely prospect,
vented his feelings by saying, "Eh mon, if Eden was anything like
this, what a fool Adam was to eat the apple."!
The first settlers on any of the lands now included in the town
of Walkerton were William' Jaspër and 'Edward Boulton, who took
up farm lots just east of the river in June or J u1y, 1849, and there
erected the first h'ouse in what afterwards became the town of Walker-
ton, the site of this log shanty being in the gore formed by Bay and
Mary Streets and the Durham Hoad. That same summer or fall
Jòhn Lundy and Moses Stewart settled west of the river. To these
were. added, in the spring of 1850, Thomas Bilkie, whose Dame is
still horne by the hill on the west of the town.
_\mong the settlers who took up land in 1850 one of the most
llot('() ,,:a::. ,T osC'ph 'Ya]ker. 2 a man who will always be remembered in
. '1Another description of thf' primeval appearance of Walkerton is here
given, being an extract from the Report of Survey made by A. P.
Brough, P.L.S., of the Durham Road. It is as follows:
" Township of Brant, lots 35-25. The line on this block proceeds over
a waving surface, composed of a good clay soil, and containing heavy
hardwood timber, a distance of 61 chains and 80 links, when it drops
forty feet into the valley of the Saugeen River and crosses valuable
flats of five chains in width. When the Saugeen is met, the river is
crosséd obliquely, and at the crossing-point is intersected by an alluvial
island standing six feet over the water, thus forming two channels in the
river, the east o'ne of which is shallow, with a rapid current, and is 185
feet in width. The WE-st channel is also rapid and is four feet in depth
and 87 feet in width. The island is crossed at its northern extremity,
and is 177 feet in width; it will form a convenient resting-place for piers
in erecting a bridge; the total distance across the river, including the
island, is 449 feet. 'rhis is the second time in which the Saugeen River
is crossed, and now the stream pursues a northerly direction and is no
more met with by the Durham Road. Above the crossing point the river
is intersected by numerous small islands, and immediately below occur
small rapids, and the river takes a sharp turn nearly at right angles
toward the west, having its east banks rising to an elevation of over
on
hundred feet and composed of a clay bluff, while its west bank is low.
The line having crossed the river pursues its course over a nearly
level surface composed of a sandy loam soil and producing large hard-
wood timber, crosses two small streams, but which run dry in summer,
nd meets the side road. at lots 25, 26, at th
dista:pce of 1 chain 89
links from the Saugeen, on its north side. Immediately.. at the side road,
between lots 25, 26, the line crosses Silver Creek, which falls into the
Saugeen cloM to .the line.'.. Silver Creek is a rapid stream, with a shingle
bottom from eight to twelve inches in depth and twenty-seven feet in
width, and ought to afford a mill privilege."
1Joseph Walker, familiarly spoken of as " Old Joe," was by nationality
an Irishman, and claimed, so it is said, the county of Tyrone as his birth-
place. Before arriving at the :rears of manhood he came to this c01mtry,
JOSEPH WALKER
295
" -
connection with the county town of Bruce, appropriately named after
him. If anyone can claim to have founded Walkerton it certainly
is Joseph Walker. When he constructed a dalll across the Saugeen
and erected mills that cut lumber and ground :flour in those early
days for the scattered settlers, the certainty of a town developIng
at that spot was assured. Realizing this, Joseph Walker had the
adjaceut farm lots which stood in his own, or his son William's name,
surveyed into a town plot. It was largely through his efforts that
the infant settlement became a busy business centre. If any can
clailU to have struggled to make the settlement a town, it is Joseph
\Valker. During the prolonged contest for the county town, it was
he who championed the cause of Walkerton, and that successfully;
never despairing during that prolonged nine years' struggle, even
when his cause seemed all but lost, manifesting throughout a buoy-
ant courage, determination and versatility of resource that com-
manded the admiration even of his opponents.
To take up land for the purpose of farming was not the object
Joseph 'Valker had in view when he entered Bruce. His \'ocation
had been that of a miller, and he came seeking for a mill site on the
line of the Durham Road. In the spring of 1850 he left Durham,
in the vicinity of which he had been residing, accompanied by three
frieD(l
. John :McLean. William )IcIntosh and Archibald Fraser, all
thorllllg-h ha('kwoon.
men. ThC'y walked to OWPll :-'OHllfl. thC'nee by the
and resided for a number of years in the vicinity of Cookstown, from
whence he remo\Jed to the county of Grey. \t the time he entered the
county of Bruce he was a man of forty-nine years of age, stoutly and
compactly built, rather below the average beight, energetic, tenacious of
purpose, and of an active, nervous temperament. Many of the old settlers
speak warmly of him for the kindly acts extended to them in the early
days, wben nearly every one was in comparatively poor circumstances.
He was twice married-first to Jane Pinkerton. by whom he had four
children, and on her death to a Mrs. Bailey, who kept the "White
Horse" hotel near Durham. Besides the log-house first erected by him, he
also built tbe stone house no\\- occupied by R. E. Truax, and also the one
occupi('d by the late Judge Kingsmi1l, and the one on the corner of
Colborne and Cayley Streets, now occupif'd by Mr. Alexand('r Menzies.
He was the reeve of Brant for several terms, and was also Walkerton'8
first mayor. He was rather careless in his business methods, the result
being that finding his means slipping through bis fingers, he in 1870
gathered together what he bad left to make a fresh start on the Mani-
toulin Island. He purchased a mill privill'ge and erectl'd a grist mill
at Sheguindah village. He spent the last winter of his life at Walkerton,
returning to' the Manitoulin in the spring. I1is end came in June, 1873,
at the age of 72. Further biographical details are dispensed with, as his
name and. actions will appear in other parts of this History, >especially in
that r/'latmg to the contest for the county town. A large sized portrait
of Mr. .Walker fittingly bang
in the. Walker
on Town Hall, enabling later
generatIOns to become acqunmted wIth tbe lIneaments of its founder.
2V6
FIRST BIUDGE
'f Gimby Trail ., to the mouth of the Saugeen, and on to Kincardine.
It wa
a long, round-about way to reach the spot on which he ulti-
mately settled, and we can only offer a surmise for his doing so,
which is, that he had learned of applications having been made for
the near at hand mill privileges,! and so travelled the route he did
hoping to find at, or near, Kincardine a suitable water power not
taken up. Being unsuccessful at first, they journeyed eastward over
the blazed path which then marked the Durham Road. Walker's
companions found lands which suited them in Greenock, but he
pushed on until the
augeen wa::; reached, and there decided to
locate. The record::; of the Crown Lands Department show that on
15th July, 1851, l\lr. George Jackson recommended that Joseph
\Valker be the locatee for the mill site and lands where the
augeen
crossed the Durham Hoad, which recommendation the Department
confirmed July 26th of the
ame year.
It was in
lay, 1
50, that J oseph Walker arriyed at the locality
with which his name is associated, and located upon lots 27 and 28,
concession 1, N.D.R., and lot 29, concession 1, S.D.R., taken in his
own name and that of his son William. Subsequently he obtained
the assignment of the rights of other settlers, or purchased them,
so that patents were issued to him or his son for ten of the twenty-
eight farm lots which subsequently were included within the corpora-
tion of the town of Walkerton.
Those who first settled at or near what is now the town of
\Valkerton entered the count.y from the east, passing through Durham,
where the Crown Lands agency for the "free grants" was located.
From there, through the unbroken forest, they made their way by
the surveyor's marks, aE1 any claim to a road consisted of nothing but
a blazed path. It was not until the fall of 1850 that the Durham
Line in the township of Brant was chopped and logged and a bridge
built over the Saugeen river at the site of the future county town,
\vhich hridgp lastpd lmtil 1855. when it was rebuilt.
J oseph "Talker after taking up his land proceeded to erect a log
house. As the conditions of settlement required that this should
not be less than 18 x 24 feet, it is not difficult to picture the appear-
ance of the first building erected by him in W alkerton. I ts site was
where Durham and }'fill Streets now intersect. This house was not
IMr. Archibald Todd, of Walkerton, says the mill privilege there was
first applied for by one Anderson Foster, in 1849, but he threw up his
claim before the application was granted.
FIRST STOltE
297
only a dwelling for Mr. 'Yalker and his family, uut was the hotel of
the ôdtlclIH'nt for Hlany a day, where the weary pioneer obtained rest
and lodgings when on his way to the lands he had taken up in ,. the
bush." \Valker must have worked hard after settling on his lots, 8.5
we fiml that he was the fir::;t man in the towll
hip of Brant who,
having complied with the conditions of settlement (which among
them required that twelve acres of land on each lot should be cleared),
obtained his patent from the Crown; this not for one lot only, but
for four. The date of these patents i::; 11th December, 1851. Ha\"ing
obtained his patents, Walker proceeded to ere.ct a saw-mill, which
was completed in 1852. Tpe construction of a dalll to give the neces-
sary motive power wa::; 110
lllall cngineering feat in those days in a
small settlement where help was hard to be got and money none too
plentiful. The initial dam at 'Yalkerton was in two parts, one from
each hank of the ri\cr, thrown acro:,
it to a wooòpd island in the
centre of the stream. The pre
ent dalll was cOll:::trude(l uy S. &. T. H.
o
on & Co., in the early scventie
.
The village of Durham was the base of supplies for the first
bettlers who came into Brant. It was there they had to go for their
mail matter, and als0 to ha\e ground into flour the first grain grown
on their small clearings, as well <.LIS to purchase their groceries anù
clothing. These inconvenienccs werc partially overcome when in
1831 J[essrs. Jardine ò.. Valentine. ha\"illg erected tlw builcling
familiar to Walkertonians of the present day as ., the old post-office,"
they there established the first mercantile business known to ""alker-
ton. The building referred to was nearly opposite Joseph "Talker's
tavern. Between them a small stream of water flowed, which long
since has disappeared. Shortly after the opening of Jardine &
Valentine's store, John Shennan opened another, which wa
located
on Willoughby's Hill, eal::t of the river, In IR52
h('nnan wa s
appointed postmaster, the office being known as .. Bran t." It was
the third post-officf' establishpd within the county. the OffiCl'S at
Kincardine and Southampton having been established tIll' preceding
year. As Shennan was unacquaintpd with the dutie>s of the offil"c. he
had
{alcolm :McLean, at that time engaged as a clerk with .Tarùine
& Valentine, and who had experience in post-office dutie
, to open
and
end out thc fi
t mails from th.. office.
hennan after holdinCJ'
the office for about a year resigned, when
lalcolm
[cLean received
the
ppointmpnt, òah'ò 15th Novemher, 18.):
, ancl hns held. it to this
day, possibly the olòe!õlt postma5:ter in Canada. Thp name of the
2
8
GRIST MILL
post..:office was changed to "W alkerton," September
4th. 1
5 7. The
next to open places of business in \Yalkerton were John Bruce anù
James Jamieson. The former claims to have built, in 1853, the first
frame building, and in 1859 the first brick building erected in the
town.
In 1853 the need of a grist mill was a want so seriously felt by
the settlers that an effort was made to have one built. 11aple Hill
was the site. spoken of as the most promising. At a meeting held to
discuss the project, Joseph Walker was present and succeeded in
persuading the majority present to unite with him and erect the,
mill at 'Valkerton. The farmers gave a very substantial support to
this undertaking by subscribing $1,600, which financial assistance
assured the building of the needed mill. The many dilliculties aris-
ing from the transporting of the heavy machinery over the almost
impassable roads through the woods were overcome. Alex. McPhail
was engaged as the first miller, and in November, .1853, the mill was
set in operation. 1 As since then the hum of machinery has always
been heard in Walkerton, the evolution of its industries may as well
be referred to here as later on.
The saw and grist mills which Mr. 'Valker's energy had secured
for Walkerton were for some years the only manufacturing industries
of the place. A tannery seems to have been the next industry estab-
lished. Following thcsp were an oatmeal mill, a planing mill and a
woollen factory. J n 1864 James Blair opened a foundry and machine
shop on the site of the present town hall, and rån it successfully
until it fell a prey to the flames in May, IS11. The grist mill was
unfortunately burnt in the early part of 1864, and it was not until
January, 1870, that it was rebuilt and running again, being owned
at that time by Noxon, Saylor & Co. This mill was enlargeù to six
run of stones by the Noxon brothers, who became sole owners after-
wards. In April, 1877, it passed into the hands of David Moore.
Not finding it profitable, it remained idle for a while, during which
time th
mill was burnt down. Obtaining municipal assistance,
R. B. Clement rebuilt the mill in 1886. This time the mill was built
of brick and of four stories in height, and fitted with machinery for
the" roller process" of gristing. It is run at þresent by S. W. Vogan
, .
IWilliam McBride, of Elderslie, relates that in the winter of 1854-55
the head-race of Walker's mill became-.so blocked with anchor ice that
he éould only run one pair of stones out of three, and that only at the
rate of a bushel and a half per hour. A grist he took at Christmas time
was not delivered uutil July.' .
IXDUSTRIES
299
& Son. 'fhe grist mill west of Silver Creek was used at first as å
planing mill. but was {'hanged into a grist mill and run by George
Harrington, who having obtained a municipal bonus was thereby
enabled to change the machinery in the mill ann install the " roUer
process." The mill has been run for a number of years by John
e.
Several industries which flourished at 'Valkerton for a time under
the stimulus of a municipal bonus have disappeared. Among those
may be mentioned the felt-boot factory, which was started in Ibbl
on receiving a bonus of $3,000. This business existcrl for about
sixteen years under various proprietors, but at last had to be closed
down. Another wa::; the woollen mill. This received a bonus of
$4.000, granted to :Messrs. :Kennedy & Bqnson. On their failure,
the business passed through several hands and ultimately was taken
up by Rife & Co., who were induced to remove the machinery of this
mill to Cargill in 1902. O. n. _\nderson received a bonus of $6,000
in 1887 to enable him to extend his furniture factory.
Ir. Anderson
in many ways is a remarkable man. His first attempt at manufac-
turing at Walkerton was in connec-tion with a stave mill in 1817.
This was developed and enlarged to a furniture factory, which at the
time of his leaving Walkerton had 125 hands on the pay roU. 'Ir.
Anderson's reputation had extended to ,r oodstock, where the largest
furniture factory in Canada existed. This business had become finan-
cially f'mharra
sed, and those intereste.I in looking around for a suit-
able m
m to conduct it. robbed "Talkerton of one of the most enterpris-
ing men who have resided in it. The whole plant of this concern was
transfcrred to Woodstock, August, 189:>. The town felt the los
of
this e.Üensive industry in a marked degree, and an effort was made
to
tart another industry of similar dl'scription. 'rhis rf'sn1tf'd in
the formation of a company callpn thp "
alkerton Chair Factory
Co., in the> year ] R!)6. which in tllP following year rp('eive
a loan from the town of $6,000. This business was ultimately taken
over by the Knechtel Furniture Co. (of Hanover), and if' carrieq
on by it, they having assumed all the conditions in .rcference to the
repayment of the loan. If some industrial concerns mov
d away from
Walkerton, others have moved to it, foremost of which is thc Ameri-
can Rattan Co., late of Toronto, the move from that pentre of m
nu-
factures being largely the result of the efforts of Mr. John R. Shaw,
a wen-known 'Valkertonian resi,diI}g at TQroJ?to. This business i
under the s,:!pervision of Mr. L. C. Benton, manager. and ships its
artistic products t() all parts of Canada, frOl:r;J
Halifa?L to Victoria.
300
INDUSTRIES
In 1902 three bonuses or loans were granted by the town to as many
new industries. A $5,000 bonus was given to the 'Yalkerton Hosiery
('0., this company having taken over the lllachinery of D. 'Yilliams,
who had conducted a similar business at Collingwood; $5,OUU was
loaned to Pett & Son to start a biscuit and confectionery factory,
and $2,000 to the Canada Bobbin Co. This latter company had
carried on busines:-: years before in ". alkerton under the name of
Kerr & Harcourt, but expecting to obtain lumber cheaper at 'Yiarton
and Parry Sound had moved thither, but finding that labor could be
more readily and cheaply had at \Yalkerton, decided to return. The
business is now managed by 'V Ill. l\I.
haw. The husiness carried
on by Messrs. Pett & Son did not prove successful, and the corpora-
tion became owners of the land and buildings under the mortgage.
Po:-:
ihly t he mo
t prominf'nt industry in the history of "T alker-
ton i:-; that at pre
(>nt controlled by I
. Truax &- Co. This saw
and planing milJ is on tlw site of the saw-mill originaUy erected
by Joseph \Yalker, and has under one firm or another been carried
on continuously to the present day. It emerged from the mere saw-
mill stage in January, 1871, when S. & T. H. Noxon & Co. procured
the machinery to do all kinds of planed work. The ownership of this
valuable property remained in their hands until about 18.7, when it
wa
purchased by David :Moore, who carried on the husiness for a
short time, then leased it, in December, 1878, to H. Truax &, Co.
This firm ultimately purchased the plant and water privilege, and
have cx.tpnsively inrreaseil the husines
: employing a large num-
ber of men and keeping installed the latpst machinery it has
hèl'n enahled to obtain orders from the most pr01uin<.>nt centres
of our province. Mr. Alexander, '[enzies and 111'. James Watt, as
manager and foreman, have been connected with this firm from the
beginning, and assisted greatly in the development of the business.
To }1r. Truax much credit is due for the success he has achieved.
As it might cumber this chapter with too great a mass of detail
to refer in particular to all the manufacturing industries that have
existed, or are in existence, at 'Valkerton, a brief lllention of some
of the most notable will close the subject. .Among those which have
been, might be mentioneíl the flax mill, also the oatmeal mill, run
by George Shortt, the ruins of which are by no means unpicturesque.
The manufacture of brick has been carried on at Walkerton for over
forty years, the clay to be found there making durable bricks and
}<'IRST
URVEYS
301
tiles. The names connected with this industry are
\.
1L: Vicar,
,Yo Carter, E. Kilmer, Thomas Adamson and his son 'Villiam, Louis
Yaeck, and others. Hemlock bark being available in quantities,
'Yalkerton had among its industries at an early date a tannery, the
first tanner being Andrew Thompson. Of late year8 Thomas Pellow,
Samuel Arscott and his sons, have carried on the industry in the three
tanneries at present existing. rfhe factory that is perhaps the most
widely known of any which have carried 011 busincss in \r alkerton is
that for the manufacture of hinder twine, established in 1900. The
:,;hares of this company are largely in the hand
of farmers Fo(Oattcred
throughout this and neighboring counties. J amC8 ToHon, a lllan
who was prominent in the municipal and agricultural interest.; of
Brant for many years, was selected by the shareholdevs to be the
manager. This industry unfortunately met a competitor shortly
after it commenced to manufacture twine in the
\lllerican Binder
Twine Trust, which, being determined to crush out all opposition,
and having immense capital to do so, first captured the sisal market
and then placed the price of the manufactured article at a lower
figure than it is p085ible for the Walkerton factory to produce it, the
director.; of which have wisely decided to cease manufacturing at
a loss.
The first survey into town lots of the various farm Iota now
within the limits of the corporation of 'ValkertoIl, was that known
as "Bilkie's survey of part of lot 23, concession 1, S.D.R.," the pIau
of which as registered bears date of 4th DeceIllb
r, 1855. The next
survey "as made by Joseph and \Villiam Walker, of lots 24 to 31,
concession 1,
.D.R., and of parts of lots 25 to 28, concession 1,
:N.D.R. The plan of this survey is dated 4th of February, 1857.
rfhe suney in both cases was made by E. H. Kert1and, P.L.S.
That ".,. alkerton did not seek to obtain a separate municipal
existence earlier than it did is not easy of explanation, except upon
the ground of the 8<,eming incongruity of the county town being
merely a village municipality; so a
part of the township of Brant
it remained for some years after it attained to the required number
(750) of inhabitants necessary to putit1e it to be incorporated a5 a
village. Being comprised in the municipality of the united tm\n-
ghips of Brant and Carrick, Walkerton was repre
elltcd in 1854 amI
lR55 at the Council of the united counties of Huron and Bruee by
JOF<,ph \Yalker, its reeve, which office h<, held also in subsl'quent
302
FIGHT t OR THE COUNTY TOW
Jears for the township of' Brant when it became a separate
municipality.
The contest for the county town commenced with the first meet-
ing of the provisional County Council of Bruce, held in 1\Iarch, 1857,
a contest in which each village in the county contended. This struggle
continued for nine years before being finally settled in favor of V\T alker-
ton. A bare recital of some of the facts of this contest is all that can
here be related. The first vote taken in the provisional County Council,
"To select a fit and proper place to recommend to the Governor-General
as the one to be menti0ned in his proclamation as the county town
of Bruce," resulted in favor of Walkerton. The Governor-General,
in accordance with this vote, proclaimed \Valkerton the county town.
This was on the 15th of June, 1857. This proclamation was, how-
ever, on petition, set aside by Act of Parliament on August 16th,
1858. Aiter another struggle by J oseph Walker-for he almost
single-handed fought the battle for Walkerton-the Governor-General
again (8th November, 1860) proclaimed Walkerton as county town.
This proclamation was also petitioned against, and Parliament,
yielding to the petition, voided the proclamation 30th June, 1864.
A decision was arrived at in 1865 which was confirmed and put
beyond local influences, when Parliament passed an Act on the 15th
September, 1865, declaJ;ing Walkerton to be the county town of
Bruce. In the same year the county buildings were commenced, and
completed toward the end of 1866. On the 1st day of January, 1867,
\Valkerton became in fact, what it had been de jure, the county
town of the flourishing county of Bruce. At that time this ambitious
little place had not population e.nough to enable it to claim incor-
poration as a vlliage, nor did it have for some time after. The
"incongrUity of the county town not being a separate municipality
was ov
rcome by special Act of Parliament (34 Vic., chap. 69) passed
15th February, 1871, which enabled Walkerton, without ever having
been a village municipality, to assume the dignity of a town. The
population of the town in the year of its incorporation was only 995.
It rose to 2,604 in 1881, and to 3,061 in 1891, but fell in 1901 to
2,971. .The rapid increase in population which marked the first
decade of .its municlpal exist
nce was the result, in a large measure,
of the opening of railway communication with the outside world,
resulting in an excellent grain market being established there.
The first school-house in Walkerton was a shanty-roofed building
on the hill east of the river. It was opened as a school in 1852, the
FIRST SCHOOL
303
teacher being a
1iss .Nancy \\ïL;;Oll,l who taught for four years, and
was succeeded in 1856 by
Ir. DOllald Reid, afterwards township
clerk of Amabel. and he, in February, 1857, by J1r. "'illiam Collins. 2
The attendance of scholars during the first years after the school was
opened was never large. Among the remarks entered in the visitor's
book of the school in the year 1855, it is stated that at the time of
the visit the attendance was ,. 14," "14,"" 20," etc. As the school
population increased the need of more. accommodation was felt, so
after the building of the old Orange Hall on Orange Street was com-
pleted, it was used as a school-house until another move was made
to a frame building erected purposely for a school on the corner of
.T 31.:kson and Catharine
treets. This in time gave way to the com-
mo'}ion
brick building::, on <.. 'olLol'ne and \
irtoria
treds, now in
use, the first of which was built in 1875 anù the second in 1888.
Before passing on to other items of history, attention is drawn to a
school-boy's composition, printed in a footnote, 3 that was preserved
lMiss Wilson, while teaching, married David Moore, of the Walkerton
Grist Mills, but continued to teach until a successor was found qualified
to impart instruction to the handful of scholars.
2:Mr. William CoIlins resided in Walkerton for many years after teaching
school, filling many important positions. He was born in the county of
Antrim, Ireland, in the year 1833. When he was of the age of fifteen his
father immigrated to Canada with his family, and settled in the township
of Finch. William Collins was educated for a schoolteacher, and pursued
this vocation for several years in the eastern part of the province. From
1853 to 1856 he followed photography, at Owen Sound and other places.
His position of schoolteacher he resigned on his receiving the appointment
of Division Court Clerk in the year 1859, an office he held until his death.
Of the many other public offices Mr. Collins filled the following are
some of them: Reeve for E:ight years of the township of Brant, also
reeve of the town of Walkerton, town treasurer, and County Master of
the Orange Order for East Bruce. He married Miss Jamieson, of Walker-
ton, in 1858, and had a family of six sons and two daughters. In politics
he was a very strong Conservative and a hard fighter in an election
contest. His death, which occurred April 19th, 1901, was deeply lamented
by a large circle of friends.
SCopy of a composition by a schoolboy at the Walkerton Public School
in 1858, on " Topographical Description of Walkerton."
" Walkerton, the county town of the county of Bruce, is beautifully
situated on the river Saugeen, aDout seventeen miles west of Durham,
and is also within twenty-eight miles of Lake Huron. It is divided near
the centre by the Saugeen, on which river is erected a good grist and
saw mill, and there is also a beautiful bridge built over it. Walkerton is
surrounded, except on the south, by hills, on the top of one of which
an Episcopal Church is in the course of erection, and from the church
can be seen a fine picturesque view. It has water privilege capable of
forcing any quantity of machinery. I should mention that a railroad is
expected to come there, or near it, and If it ùoes it will certainly be a
place of Some importance. It already contains a population of 175, a
post office, five stores, four taverns, three shoemakers, two bhcksmiths,
two tailors, a tannery, two cabinet-makers, and several carpenters and
joiners. It is situated in the midst of a very fertile and healthy country
and promis('
fair to bf" a fine plare."
304
MA YOHS
by )11'. Collins. It tells us something of \Yalkerton as it was in
the year 1858.
The Orange Hall, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, was
the sole public building in the early years of Walkerton. It was
used, as its name indicates, as a lodge room, and also used as a school.
In this building also worship .was conducted by the various Protestant
denominations each ::-;unday, in the following rotation: the Church
of England in the morning, the Presbyterians in the afternoon, and
the )lethodists in the evening. It was in this building that all
public meetings, as well as the Division Courts, were held in those
pioneer days.
"
ith the incorporation of the town and the opening of the rail-
,,-ay. the eredion of a town hall became necessary. So in 1872 1 the
site for a market-place and town hall was purchased, and the building
of the lattf'r proc(>('ded \\"ith. It was only a frame buil.ding, :30 x 62,
with a bell tower and a lean-to for the caretaker's residence. David
Siebert was the builder. After lasting for a quarter of a century,
it had to make way for the more pretentious and commodious civic
building erected in 189-1. It might be well to here give the name::::. of
thos.e who have filled the mayor's chair from the incorporation of
the town to date. They are as follows: In 1871, Joseph 'Yalker;
1872, Paul Ross
1873, 1874. ,Tames G. Cooper; 1875, Alex.
haw,
1876, Alex. Sproat; 1877, 1878, Paul Ross; 1879, Malcolm McLean;
1880, 1881, H. P. O'Connor; 1882, David l\Ioore; 1883, 188-1, A. B.
Klein; 1885, Andrew ::\lcLean; 1886, 1887, C. W. Stovel; 188
, 18
9,
Reuben E. Truax; 1890, 1891, 1906, David Robertson; 1892, 1893,
'Villiam Richardson; 189-1, 1895, Hugh Birss; 1896, John ;:;tandish;
1897, 1898, Alex. 11enzies; 1899, 1900, )1.
talker, M.D.; 1901,
K H.
rcKay: 1!102. C. ,,
. Cr
'derman
1Ç)03, S. ,y, Vogan
1
)(1..J.,
]
IO.
. n. H. :\f("Kay.2
The incorporation of the town was followed in the succeeding year
lA b
y-law to raise $2,700 for the purchase of a market-place and
erection of a town hall thereon was voted on and carried April 8th, 1872.
$1,000 for the land, $1,500 for the building, and $200 for anticipated
expenses.
2
0 time was lost after the bill incorporating the town was passed
in electing a town council, the first meeting of which was held on 17th
March, 1871, at Waterson's Hall. Its members were: Joseph Walker,
mayor; William McVicar, reeve; councillors-Stephen Noxon, David Moore,
Hugh W. Todd, Louis Wisser, William Shannon, James F. Davis, William
Smith, Paul Ross, and :M:oses Stewart. The first officers were: W. L. Watt,
town clerk; W. L. Watt, town treasurer; Thomas Burrell, town inspector;
James Flett, assessor.
HIGH SCHuuL
3050
by the estahlÜ:hment of a high school. :For lack of a proper building,.
the 5chool had a migratory existence for some years. At first it was
held in the C )range Hall. l'll Catherine
treet (a building which
originally was built bJ the K ew Connexion )Iethodists <:1:; their
chureh). From thi:, IJUil(1ing the I-('hool wa:; removed to a hall over
the Herald ofhec, on the
ûuth side of Durham street. From thence
it was removed to the town hall, and then again to the public school
huilding, when that building was completed in uno, where it occu-
pied two rooms. This was the last move prior to taking po
session,
in February or )1arch, 1879, of the present fine high school huilding.
The first head-master in the high school was Arnoldus 'liller, B.A.,.
who was succeeded bJ Dr. Morrison, M.A., in 1880, and he again in
Uctober, 1881, by Jo::,eph )Iorgan, )L
\.., who still fills the po:;ition_
In 1877 the \r alkerton public school was constituted a county model
..;...hool for the preliminary training of public school teachers, and
for oyer a quarter of a century has, under the various lwad-masters,.
maintained an enviable record for efficiency.
The pionef'r settlers manifested an honest pride in the products.
of their new farms, the virgin soil of which yielded magnificent
rf'turn:;, hoth a
to quantity and quality, and they early organized an
_\gricultural So('iety. The first of the fall shows was held in 185-!-
or 1855, the indoor exhibits being shown in and about the store or
.Jardine & Valentine, while the live stock was scattered along the-
street and over the bridge. Annual exhibitions in this line finally
developed into the Northern Exhibition, conducted under an incor-
porated company, liberally aided by the town, which issued $4,500.
of debenture., towarrls this object. The pfl
ent buildings. at a cObt
of
-I-,55.=> were erected in 1877. For many years the S orthern
E-xhinition ranked high among the fall exhibitions held in the pro-
'Vince, but of late, owing to the number of town:;hip fairs, it has not
been as succes
ful as formerly.
III th(' early pioneer (laJs it was difficult to supply the
cattcred
settlers with rcgular religious services, and many hardships had the
('arly pastors to endure a
they tended to the spiritual needs of their
rc:,pcctive flocks. The facts, as here given, regarding the various
churches in Walkerton are much condensed, as to give more than the
leading facts would e
tend the narrative to too great length. rrhr>
\arious dcnominatiol1:' arp rpferrerl to in alphahetical order. The
Baptist congregation was organized in 187U, and until their church
wa,.; opcn('(l (X O\'pmnpr 4th. 1 RR
) worshiprpd in the court house,
30ü
THE CHURCHES
the Rev. Henry Cocks being their first pastor. The Disciples of
Christ used the town hall as a place of worship until the present
church edifice was first used for worship, October 9th, 1881. The
first Church of England services (and also the first of any denom-
ination in Walkerton) were held in J oseph Walker's tavern. To
conduct these the Rev. A. H.
{ulholland, of Owen Sound, paid
monthly visits to Walkerton, which at that time was an outlying
station. Rev. T. P. Hodge succeeded him as a missionary in this
parish. The first settled minister was the Rev. T. E'. Saunders, who
took charge of the spiritual interests of this flock in 1859. In 1858
a church edifice was erected on land given by Thomas Todd, on
Willoughby's Hill. The construction extended as far as the roofing
of the building, but it was never completed owing to the foundation
being insecure. No services were ever held therein. The present
church, bearing the name of
t. Thomas, was erected about 1864-5,
during the incumbency of the Hev. E. Softly. The ministers who
have subsequently occupied this charge were the Rev. John P. Curran,
the Rev. John Greenfield, the Rev. Wm. Shortt, the Rev. J. H. Fatt,
the Rev. S. F. Robinson and the Rev. T. G. A. \Vright. The Evan-
gelical Lutherans have from an early date been fairly numerous in
Walkerton and vicinity, and they erected a neat church building on
the gore formed by Colborne and Yonge Streets in 1885. Unfor-
tunately they have not been able at all times to maintain a permanent
pastorate. The Evangelical Association (German :Methodist) held
religious services in the council chamber of the county buildings
for a number of years, when, increasing in strength, they built for
themselves, in 1899, a brick church on the corner of Colborne and
Prince Streets, which possibly was the only church building ever
opened in Walkerton free of debt. :Methodism was first represented
in Walkerton by the New Connexion )lethodists. Their first mis-
sionary was the Rev. Andrew Clark, who came to Walkerton in 1854.
They erected a frame building for their church on Catherine Street,
which subsequently has been used as the Orange Hall. .The Wes-
1eyan Methodists sent their first missionary, the Rev. John Hutchin-
son, to Walkerton in 1860. They built for themselves a brick church
on Catherine Street, which wa
opened October 23rd, 1870. This
building afterwards was used as a public hall, bearing the name of
"Rothwell's Hall." These two l\Iethodist bodies were officially
united September, 1874. In 1886 they purchased St. Paul's Church
from the Presbyterian congregation, which building is still their
THE Pl{E
S
307
place of worship. Presbyterianism was represented at an early date
by the United Presbyterians and the Church of Scotland. The for-
mer had their first church erected in 1851 at .Frame's Corners, two
and a half miles east of the town, but moved in 1859 to a commodious
frame church uuilding built ea8t of the river. This was used until the
congregation erected the urick church on the corner of Cayley and
Colborne Streets, built in 1875, at first called :Free bt. John's, but
after the union with Bt. Paul's congregation, in 1886, it was known
as Knox Church. In this church was placed, in 1896, the first pipe
organ known to \Valkerton. The Rev. R. C. l\loffat, V.D., was the
pastor of this congregation until the union with St. .Paul's. The
congregation known as St. Paul's was originally formed in connection
with the Church of Scotland. This was organized about 1869 by
the Rev.
1. \r. McLean, who came from Paisley at intervals, holding
service in Water:son's Hall at first, afterwards in the Court House.
rrhis congregation entered into their handsome church building in
1877, the Rev. Dr. Bell being their pastor at that time. The follow-
ing are the reverend gentlemen who have had charge of the united
Presbyterian congregation of Knox Church: 1 Rev. John ..1 ames,
D.D., Rev. Donald Guthrie, Rev. J. 8. Conning and the Rev. Thomas
\Vilson. The spiritual needs of our Roman Catholic brethren were
at an early date attended to by a :French priest, who held services
in the house of one known as "protestant" John ;Smith. The brick
church they now occupy was erected in 1874, and the convent build-
ing adjoining was opened in 1879, the first resident priest being
Father Keough, who came to \Valkerton in 1t)72 and remained in
charge of this parish until 1877.
The press first became an institution in \Valkerton in 1861, when
the Bruce Herald was established by \V. rr. Cox, who sold it in 1863
to Wm. Brown, who conducted it until 1883. Bince then it has been
under the proprietof15hip of )r f'ssrs. Kribs & \r e
ley, ".. \\ esley,
W. R. Telford, and at prescnt of L. n. )lc
amara. 2 The lralke1.ton
Telescope was established in Decembf'l", 1;-j(ì9, by D. \V. Hoss, and
sub
equently was conducted by \Yallace Graham, .Toseph Craig, D. C.
IThc Jubilee services of this congrpgation were held in September, 1901.
IDuring the excitement atteniling the war in South Africa, there was
issued a small daily sheet from the Herald office, bearing the title, Daily
War News. The issue of this commenced .January 29th, 1900, and ceased
May 7th following, owing to the excitement to some extent having
iliminished. This has bem the only attempt in the way of publishing
a daily papf'r within the county.
308
RAILWAY OPENED
Sullivan, T. H. Preston, J. B. Bheppard, A. Eby, J. B. Stephens,
and at present by A. ,Yo Robb. Die Glocke. published in the German
language, was first issued by John Klein in February. 1870. The
paper was sold by him to A. Eby and J. A. Rittinger. ;Subsequently
it passed into the hands of J. A. Rittinger solely, who continued to
publish it until June, 1903, when the plant was moved to Berlin.
The Times, the latest addition to the newspapers of the town, con-
ducted by \L "r esley, was first issued in September, 1905.
Like most inland towns lacking cheap and speerly freight com-
munication with outside markets, vYalkerton did not rank high a
a
local market until the "... ellington, Grey and Bruce Railway had
opened a station there. The local papers prior to that time published
the lllarket quotations of Port Elgin, Kincardine and Guelph, as
well as the prices for grain that were offered by S. 8; T. H.
oxon
& Co. at their fioúr mill. It may be of interest to compare the
prices as given in the papers issued one week previous to grain
buyers being able to make use of the railway for shipping purposes,
and those of a week subsequent to that event, and note what a gain
to the farmers resulted from the opening of the railway. the priee
of fall wheat at the yarious markets being that here giyen: At
"... alkerton $1.05, at Port Elgin $1.] 2. at Kincardine $1.15, and at
Guelph $1.25. The following week the prices at 'Valkerton were
at a level with those 01 Port Elgin and Kincardine. The first
locomotive to reach the town of Walkerton did so November 30th,
1871, it being one used by the contractors in the construction of
the road; nevertheless. it was the a(lYent of tlH' "Steam Horse,"
and was hailf'd with great joy and celebrated by a supper at \Yater-
son's Hotel. The first train carrying freight from 'Yalkerton left
the station on the 10th February, 1872, and the railway was opened
for passenger traffic August 5th following. The following extract
from the Bruce II e1'ald of .J anuary 26th, 1872, gives an idea of the
change brought to 'Yalkerton by the opening of the railway:
"The sight of a number of teams on the streets with wheat, pork,
etc., for sale is something new to \Valkerton. There has probably
heen purcha!:'l'tl within the last ten or tweh-e da
'
on our streets
more grain than there ever was since the place came into existence.
Hitherto Walkerton has been so situated that, unleS6 for home
consumption, it offpred little inducement as a market. The produce
of this section went from it in all d.irections,-to Southampton,
l.,
\
..
(\
}
"I'
- J-"
It "III'
f-
1f111 fill
.
f-o
r--""
W
\
o-j
'
ÞO:"
IJ
, "
.. .
-=l:
:-'- Dr.
="""Lo.I_
}
- .,
:z
=:
- :'.1:
,
l
. '
1
1111
't
\.
-
.
. L. .
J
YJ
ð
"":)
::i.
.
X-
I-
X
.
<
.;:
=>
E-
f
E:
-.r...
.-.
>-
...:
>
5
1!
:i:
'"
'-'
õ
f
õ
s
BANKS
309
Kincardine, I::;eaforth, and Guelph. The railway is about to change
all this, and give the farmers a market at their doors:'
The propect of \Valkerton becoming a point where large quan-
tities of grain woulù be offered for sale by the farmers, induced
Thoma
Adair, at that time engaged in grain buying at South-
ampton, to come to \Valkerton to engage in the same business
there; he and John Bruce seem to have been the first to purchase at
\r alkerton for export.
\Valkerton has always had cause to regret that the railway
,.tation was placpd at :-:uC'h a distance from the town, the reason
therefor being largely, it is understood, because speculators held
tilt' lands in dIP vi(:inity uf the Carrid\: Hoad at too high a figure.
A\.":
oon as it was definitely known where the railway station was to
he, the town took steps to have streets
urveyed to it, which resulted
in a great deal of di
cus
ion as to the po
itioll of :-:uch streets, but
at la::;t
IcGiverin ann Ridout Streets as they IlUW are were laid
out. The amount to pay for the right of way and con::;truction of
the::;e streets WaS raised by debentures, the by-law for which was
voted upon Decemher 20th, l
1. The amount ;::50 raised was
1.500. 1 The fir:-:t -men t ionl'll street "a:-: 11a med after \r. )lcGiverin,
tlIt. Prt:'i'ident of the \r. (L &- H. Railway, and the latter after the
(,hipf Eng-inet>r. Thomas Hiclout. 2
The county town question having been settled, the agency of the
('olllUll'rcial Bank of Canada, which had heen located in South-
ampton for SOUle time. wa::- moved in J Ulle, l:-;Iì
, to \ralkt'rton.
("Ilfortunately. in October of the same year thi:, hank failed. The
inC'onv nience ari:;:ing therefrolll wa:;! overcome whell. about a year
latr'f. the :Uf'fchant:-: Bank f'
tahlished an agf'IlC')" at "
alkerton.
Tn .January, 11'317. the Cani.1I1inn Bank of Commerl"e opelled a
hranch there also. :,incp which time the town ha
not lacked for
hanking facilities.
The 10::;::: hy fiTP of tb(' fountlry in )[ay, 1R
1. !-tirred up the
people of the town to take steps to ward off similar disasterc;; in the
future, ,mò the
' shortly Hftf'rward
purchased a hand fire engine
from the town of Brantford; this reached Walkerton ill Augu:,t
followin
. To pay for the engine nnò for thp con
truction of
IThe \\. G. & B. Railway gave $1,2;)0 to assist in construction of these
streets.
IA. H. Ridout, agent of the Bank of Hamilton, Port EI
in, is a eoD
of the above.
310
PUBLIC BrILDl
GS
water tanks, debentures were issued December 2ôth, 1871, for
$2,000. Hand fire engin
s have but a limited power; this Walkerton
learnt to its sorrow when it experienced its heaviest loss by fire, an
event which is still remembered and spoken of as ., the big fire,"
which occurred }'Iay 28th, 1877, starting early in the afternoon of
that day in a stable situated back of where the present postoffice
stands. Favored by a high wind, it spread with marvellous rapidity,
defying the modest fire-fighting appliances above referred to. It
swept over a large part of the business section of the town, destroying
forty-two buildings. The losses were heavy, but most bravely the
sufferers set to work to rebuild, and eventually buildings of a finer
and more substantial character were erected to replace those destroyed.
'Yith the construction of a fine system of waterworks in 1891,1 at a
cost considerably exceeding $30,000 (the first estimated cost), a
repetition of such another conflagration is not to be dreaded; whilst,
in addition, the town enjoys the blessing of an abundant supply of
the purest drinking water. The establishment of the system of
waterworks was followed by a system of sewerage. A large trunk
spwer 2 was laid on Durham and Jackson Streets in 1895. and subse-
quent years have
een the system extended until a large part of the
town is now supplied with this sanitary convenience.
'Valkerton, for a town of its size, is fortunate in possess-
ing a number of handsome public buildings. Those erected by
the municipality include a handsome town hall (erected 1891),
three large two-story brick school-houses, and an extensiye Exhibition
Building. The government ereded in 1890 a fine huilding for a
post-office, customs and inland Ten'Hue offices. The county bu
ldiñgs
(erected in 1866), while not as large or impressive a
those at
Stratford or Woodstock, are convenient and provide ample accommo-
dation. rrhe House of Refuge (erected 1898) commanrls the atten-
tion of those who enter the town by the
tation road. being a building
of architectural good taste, as wen as of commodious èlccommo-
dation. The Bruce County General Hospital (erected in 1903) had
its origin in a hequest of the late ,Yo .J. :Moore. rrhe amount
bequeathed has been increa.sed by a grant of $2,000 from the town,
and one of $1,500. from the county,. as wen RS by numerous private
tIn August, 1877, as a result..of " the big :fire," a by-law was submitted
to the ratepayers to authorize the expenditure of $11,000 on a system of
waterworks, which failed to carry.
2The county contributed $2,000 toward the cost of this sewer, the
Inspector of Prisons having ordered that a sewer from the gaol be laid.
"THE HEX D JJ
:H 1
subscriptions. Further particulars are to be found in Chapter VIII.
regarding the founding of this institution.
A number of isolated minor facts relating to the history of and
development of Walkerton may properly conclude this chapter.
For a long time in the early days a town-bell was a felt want.
At last someone was stirred up to take action, which resulted in a
public meeting heing held to discuss the matter, the upshot of which
was the passing around of a subscription list, to which the town
people readily responded to the extent of about $200. This fund
was increased by receipts from" Sixpenny Readings," held in the
court house, and from oth'::r sources, until the necessary amount, in
the vicinity of $275, was raised. Alexander Sproat, :M.P., succeeded
in obtaining from the government permission for the bell to be
imported free of duty. When it reached the town in the summer of
1870 it was placed on a high derrick, erected in the court house
grounds, and was rung, as required, by William Richardson, the
caretaker, until removed in
larch, 1873, to the market square. At
present it hangs in the tower of the town hall.
The property which now comprises the public park known as
"The Bend" was sold at
herift\; sale in :May, 18.4. The mayor
was instructed to act for the town, and purchase it at a price not
exceeding $400. This action of the Council in
ecnring such a
lovely spot for a public park will be gratefully commended by the
future gcnerations that n<;:p it as a recreation ground.!
X 0 provision had been made when the town wa::; first surveyed
for a ccmetery. Burying ground
in connection with the several
churches met this need for a time, but at best it could be but a
temporary procedure. This fact forced itself upon the citizens, who
in 1877 commenced to take action in thr matter. After much dis-
cussion as to the proper location for a cemetery, the present ground
was secured and the first lots therein were offered for sale in .Tul)",
1879.
The Walkerton Puhlic Library, or to call it by .the name it bore
at first, the
rechanics' Institute, \Va::; organized November 19th,
1875. After varying vici
situde
a free puhlic reaòing room in
connection thcrewith was thrown open to the public. The Town
Council also installed it on the ground floor of the town hall when
that building was opened in 1898.
I,Sillce the ahovt' \\.LS \uittclI it has becn dc("idc(l to alluw the C.P.R\". to huild
it !'I station on U fhe B(,lId." .
312
CURLING CLUB
The first steps to organize a Board of Trade date back to
February 14th, 1872, immediately after the opening of the railway
for freight shipments. In January, 18ì8, it came under the general
.act of incorporation passed by the Dominion Go\'ernment regarding
Boards of Trade. It has on various occasions been of much benefit
jn advancing the interests of the town, as it is able to voice in a
manner that carries weight the ideas of business men of the place.
It was possibly owing to the influence of the Board of Trade that
Walker ton was made a port of entry for customs on June 1st, 1878.
The wires of the :Montreal Telegraph Company reached \Yalker-
ton in 1868. Sixteen years later those of the Bell Telephone Company
followed, local service being established in 1884:, and in 1886 the
iown enjoyed the privilege of service with other towns and cities.
Arc electric lamps were introduced in October, 1886, for the ligÞ.ting
{)f the streets, churches and shops, and eight year
after the incan-
descent system was established anad largely adopted for private
residences.
\Valkerton has taken an interest for many years in athletic
ports. The oldest society it ("an boast which is extant under this
heading is the curling club,l which was organized in February, 187'0.
The first skips appointed were .J ohn Bruce and Alexander Sproat.
rrhe old drill-shed was used every winter to curl in (being used, as
well, as a skating rink). With the practice there acquired this club
became prominent in this district. and in 1
0 carried off the Ontario
Silver Tankard, in competition with the best clubs in the province.
The banner awarded them at that time, with the names of the suc-
-cessful players embroidered thereon, has for years hung in the office
of the manager of the Bank of Commerce. Walkerton's Bowling
Cluh in 1888 carried off the silver medal at a tournament held at
Toronto, open to all clubs in the province. The cricket, baseball
and lacrosse teams of \Valkerton have in various years obtained a high
Tecord for their efficiency, to the great jubilation of the town.
IBefore the curlers organized into a club they played many a friendly
game on the ice covering the mill-pond. The" stanes " were blocks of
wood, turned, when possible, from a large knot. To these were attached
iron handles manufactured by a local smith. The" stanes " being clums
'
to carry and being of no monetary value, were left on the ice after the
close of each game during the curling season. This was done once too
.often. A sudden thaw came on, followed by a freshet, and ice and
-', stanes " together went over the dam and disappeared down the river.
'This disaster could not damp the ardor of the lovers of the "roaring
game," but had the effect of a club being formed, with the use of regula-
tion stones in a rink.
1'HE STHEETS
. I:
The first apology for sidewalks known to \ralkertoll consi
teu
of plank plattorm
placed in front of each 5hop. By-and-bye, whf'n
thp stump:-: were cut out, thf'sC' wcre conneet.ed and e\.tended, until
the plank sidewalks on the various streets wpre u\ er several mile"
in length. As long as lumber could 1](' procured at it moùerate price,.
8m.h
idewalks answered well ('nough. hut with increa:-:<>d pricps for
plank a ehange had to be. made. In 1891 the first granolithic walk
\\a::5 laid alongside the post-office. Eal"h year I"inee then has witne.-:;eJ
a further l'
ten::5ion of thi
enduring and satisfactory kind of side-
\\ aJk, until in ]HO;') on'r fin' mil('
of it hayf' hppn laid, aiMing greatly
tf) the appearanl.:e of the strp2ts. The practice of removing all fl'nce:o:.
in front of re:-:idenees. cOlllllll'nced in 1891. This, combined with tht'
Jargl> llUlUhl'r of shaclt' tfl,(.
l gin'
the l'itizpu:-: of \ralkerton ('3U:-:<> to
hoa:-:t of tl)l' !IPauty of tll('
treet of their town.
During the summer of 190G the Canadian Pacific Rail way
announced itß intention of constructing a branch line from th
vicinity of Flesherton to W. alkerton. This announcement wa::5 quickly
followed h
. work being commenced. At the time of writing the
do:-:ing pages of this work such progre:-,s has been made in the grad-
ing of the roan as to warrant the a
8urance that in 1907 \Yalkerton
will posscss all the advantages that may be had from the prp
enc(
of competing lines of railway.
ITo encourage the planting of shadE" treE"s, the town council l'ëls::!t'd
a by-law (.Tune 18th, 1877) offering to pay twenty-fixe cents, on ('ertain
onditjons, for t'ac'h tn'p so planted along the streets of thE" town.
CHAPTER XXII.
TOWNSHIP OF BRUCE.l
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUNTY VALUATORS, 1901.
. '
" In this township there is a great deal of very good land and flne,
well-kept farms, while the lake range and the south-east corner are very
light and stony. In fact, a greater portion of the former, as .the :figure!:!
will show, is almost without value. Your valuators lost about $30,000 on
the lake range. One-half of this amount was lost on the once prosperous
village of Inverhurou, nothing of which now remains but drifting sand
and a few small farm-houses of little value. Formerly this range was
valuable for its large quantity of cedar, which has now disappeared,
leaving nothing 'but stone and sand of little value. There are some
sections of this township of too stiff cla:,-, which detracts so.mewhat
from its value. A great deal of Bruce is badly watered, and some seasons
parts of the township have to draw water for miles. This is the only
township south of Wiarton without a railway station. In order to make a
fàir comparison between Bruce and some - of the other townships, it would
be only fair to strike off the shore range of 6,386 acres, valued at $20,100,
then the balance will give a rate of nearl
- $32 per acre. The rate per
acre for this township, including village property, is $29.03. The village
property mnaullts to only 58 cents per acre."
THE first surveyor to enter this township was A. Wilkinson, in
1847. His work covered a large area, extending not only beyond the
township, but the county also, and was in part of a preliminary char-
acter by which to form a basis for subsequent surveys. 'Vhen passing
along the front of this township his survey was limited to the mark-
ing, at every mile and a quarter, each block of ten farm lots in the
Lake Shore Range. In 1851 A. P. Brough commenced the sUrYey
of the township (as related in Chapter V.), but by the time his work
had progressed to the 10th side-line he contracted a fatal illness and
the work had to be stopped. In the following year C. Miller, P.L.S.,
completed the survey of the township.
The lands in the township of Bruce were among the "School
Lands" opened for sale August 17th. 18;-)-1. 2 Prior to this a large
I.Tames Bruct'. 8th Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, was Governor-General
of Canada from 1
47 to 18:5-1-. Ont of complinH'nt to him this township,
a5 well as the I'ount.v, hears the nallle of Bruct'.
"See .-\ppen<<ix K.
314
'-
!"7l
11
ìg;'
-
,
f---;.
p.f-
- I
'10
!t
-;',
I
-
ò#.
::"
/
N
..%.þ
,
',
...
:I
CI>
=-,
...
-==--
'"
=-
'
'
7 I
\
!! I
... I
') I
-=-1 '-"'
--U
for:
II)
">
I-
...
./ -
...L ->
" ./ ./_V / "\C
I r,
p"" I 1
I
I
I
)
'""'" N:t.-..r
I
I
I
:m
I
I
I
$
-
[ -
o
.----.....
I '---../
Jd::. .
",-I
I 'L -'
I
r-
<
!RIA
j ...r--"ì'
Ie:-' I
........-1-5
'J .
I'-'
"
'-
ì
\
(
I '
"
I
I
I
# ./"-/
I X
-
"-
t
"'!
Î-
'"""'\ 1
J
_ Ii) .../
J I ."
l'
fl
;- -
y /
),.(,<
I
\...
..-I !
I
'-.Ç -----=-
....
....
...
::
r-
!--.
I þ:! ;>1
Ii. I
:
I
1 m ' Q
;
I Q
...
:t If'-
b-, ,-0 \ \ \ \
1
l
"> \ \ \ f\
II
!] . }.... "- \ vi lLI
I I Wo)) l_tJ
? / 'I
1 ) 1. r,,:
:ïÉ
.J I
;)
LfP
- If "'f \ 1\ .L
{
I
I 0 \ \ ,J
I
...: lit- ....) .1 '\\ _
.... D.. I Y IT
t:- . - , . 7 I r
... \ -\ 7 .,
I i ( I I '" l ! v
,I
I I I ) I I (,) 1\.. .1 t--t)
I l ' I L....- I .. .. -I .
...... --'
.'ì.: J( } t '
I, J:f,!...I.1
þj.Jc-l,,!,l.
..!
.
i u. ....
- .
...
_ <(
NJ.) , '.
\.
:1,t,. >I-'i "/'"I"'I ï 1'l'11 I I II ,.,. .. -':0/ I.--:!,-' I
'_
_
-
\,
lJu'
/1
j
VM i if
r m[
3
- - -- ---- '-, \.
'
.. r I
I
II II' I hr
.......' --- /'
i
_ : I II
,-
, \
'-,;
\1
.
-
'- ''-.
---
I-
r--
.........r==
r-
f-
,.
I
.,
t>j
!l>
':::
"
..b. I 71
L
i>1 I
I tt
!
\
.
\
:::
I
Co)
CoO
::::::i ' r:::::
-
t
I
I
\
-1
PIOXEER
317
number of settlers had squatted on lands in mriou:::; parts of the
township. The fir
t of tlll':'c squatters is baid l to have becn 'rimothy
Allan, who located on lot 2, conces:-::ion 1, and Hugh and William
)[c:\1 allamy on the same conce:;sion nearer the lake; these settled on
their lots in the fall of 1850 or during the following winter. In :May,
1851, the fourth settler in Bruce, )lichael Green, took up lot" J "
on the second concession. After this, for the next thrcf' years the
stream of land-seekers looking for a desirable location developed in
volume until all the best lands in the township were squatted upon.
Thcsc lalld-seekprs many a time realized that travelling in the back-
woods of Bruce involved hardships: it meant that often they had to
sleep in the bush, roughing it as best they could, and that largely
they had to depend for food on what they carried with them.
\t the
same time, it should be rem(-'mbered that the log shanties of tlw
settlers were, with proverbial hospitality, thrown open to travellers,
and their meagre fare generousl
T shared. The following incidents
illustrate how open-handed this hospitality was: Michael Green,
abo\-e mentioned, tells of thirteen men who came to his shanty one
evening asking for something to eat and a night's lodging. Fortu-
nately for his guests, he that day had brought home a half-barrel of
fresh fish; for their evening meal he cooked a pot of fish and two
large pots of potatoes. After they had eaten to their heart's content,
one old gentleman of their number placed a one-dollar bill on the
table, telling the reST to do likewise, resulting in thirtecn one-dollar
bills being placed on thp table. Tn three weeks the old gentleman
returned, accompanied by another gentleman. and asked for a night's
lodging.
Iichael told them thcy could get that on one condition.
namely, that they woulò. not insist on him taking' any rpmuneration
for their keep. Of course they complied. Before leaving in the
morning the old gentleman asked his host if he would be kind enough
to fetch them a fresh drink of water from the spring near-by. Rp
went, but not with the bpst of gra('e, thinking they might do this act
themselves. They met him outside on his return, and, thanking him
for his hospitality. took their òf'partHl'('. On f'ntpring hi
hanty
J\[ichapl noticed a cup tUrIWcl face downward. and on lifting it found
two shining half-dollars: it tlH>n dawnpd upon him why he had bpen
sent for the water. Elspwherp, ahout tIll'
amp timp. sh: lIlen flPeking
for land came to n f\hanty nn(l askpd thp good laòy of thp ho115:e if
':-\1"> " HistoriC'al Sk"t<'h " in Belde1l ','I (f7(/.
of Coulity of Brltt'(.
318
ARCHIBALD SI
CLAIR
they could get anything to eat. She told them to step in and they
could have the best in the house. She cooked a large pot of potatoes,
but having no table and but few dishes, she pulled a large empty box
to the middle of the floor, emptied the contents of the potato pot on
the centre of it, placed a pinch of salt before each man, and explained
that she had no bread or meat, or any other food but potatoes and
salt to live on, her husband and sons being away earning money to
pay for the :first instalment on the land. After completing their
homely fare they departed, and that evening came to a small clearing
where they found potatoes planted. They made a fire and cooked
some of the potatoes under the ashes, at the same time wishing they
had some of the salt the good lady had given them for breakfast.
Such incidents illustrate the experiences of the early settlers.
In 1852 William Gunn 1 settled at Inverhuron. :Mr. Gunn for the
next :fifteen years occupied a prominent place in the affairs of the
township. His choice of Inverhuron as an advantageous point at
which to settle arose from a conviction he cherished that a harbor of
refuge would be constructed at that point, .and that it would become
one of the principal ports in the county. Mr. Gunn was the first
postmaster of the post-office established there in 1854. Inverhuron
was the second post-office in the township, the first, opened in 1853,
being at Sinclair's Corners, known as "Bruce" P. O. Peter Sinclair
was the officer in charge. These two offices were on the Kincardine
and Southampton mail route
over which, twice each week, John
Urquhart (of the Boundary) tramped, carrying the mails on his
back.
In 1852 Archibald Sinclair 2 sold his farm in Kincardine town-
IS ee biographical sketch of Mr. Gunn in Chapter VII.
2It was in the summer of 1849 that Archibald Sinclair left his home,
near Martintown, Glengarry, to inspect the new lands then being opened
for settlement in the Huron district, his purpose being to provide farms
for his three sons, the eldest of which was then approaching manhood. He
found lands to suit him in the township of Kincardine, in the Lake Range.
After taking the necessary steps to secure a title to the lands selected, he
returned for his family. The start for their new home in the bush was
made in October, 1849, there being no railways in Ontario at that time,
The first part of their journey, as far as Hamilton, was made by steam-
boat, thence by waggon to Goderich. The story of their trip from
Goderich to Kincardine is to be found in Chapter V., as related by Mr.
Sinclair's daughter, Mrs. John Reekie. When Bruce separated from Kin-
cardine township and became, in 1856, a separate municipality, Archibald
Sinclair was elected as the first reeve, an honor he gave up before the
end of the first year. He died May 11th, 1858, and was buried in Tiver-
ton cemetery, where many others of the pioneers of Bruce are sleeping
their last sleep.
.}ICUDOCH I.. I\lAHTIX
a19
ship, where he had settled three years previol1.B, and 1110YOO into
Bruce, taking up land a mile and a quarter north of what we now
know as Tiverton, then marked only by a squatter's shanty and a
small clearing. The locality where :Mr. ;:;inclair took up land still
bears the name of "Sinclair's Corners." There Mr. Sinclair built
a sawmill, and then a grist-mill, the first in the township. It was
owing to the fact of these mills being there situated, as well as to
friendly feelings felt for their owner, that David Gibson, the govern-
ment engineer, when letting the contracts for cutting out the Saugeen
and Goderich road, had it take the jog it had at the second conces-
sion, instead of continuing it on the :fifth side-road to the Kincardine
boundary.
Adam Burwash, who settled on the fifth concession, is to be men-
tioned as one of the very earliest pioneers of the township. Another
of those who entered Bruce in 1852, or earlier, was Allan )icLean,
who settled on lot 12, concession 8. 1 'Vhen he put up his shanty he
was without a neighbor on that concession. The author has been
favored with a full and detailed account of one of the settlers of
1853, Murdoch L. :Martin (which in an epitomized form i
here given
in a foot-note 2 ), the experiences of anyone pioneer being the tale of
an to a greater or less extent is excuse enough for this lengthy sketch.
lAllan McLean was a native of the Island of Tiree, Scotland. He
had been five years in Canada before settling in Bruce, in which township
he has filled a prominent place, as councillor, collector, and assessor.
2:Murdoch L. Martin and his brother, in September, 1833, landed at
Inverhuroll, then known as the Sauble. Starting off into the bush to find
land on which to settle, they walked along " the boundary," staying the
first night in the log shanty of a settler, where they were hospitably
entertained. In the morning, guided by one of the sons of this settler,
they walked on to the present site of Glammis. As all the best lots
along the boundary line had been taken up, they passed into Greenock,
where his brother took up 200 acres, while Mr. Martin located in Bruce
(lot 35, concession 5). The first thing he did was to erect a shanty-
12 x 14 feet was its dimensions-built of logs and roofed with basswood
scoops. As winter was drawing 011 and lacking a supply of provisions.
Ir. Martin went to Stratford to seek work under some contractor engaged
in the construction of the Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway. The weather
that winter was very broken and work irregular, consequently no mone
'
was saved. '\'hen spring came, he returned to his shanty in the bush,
walking all the way from Stratford. When he reachell Kincardine he
purchased as much flour as hf' could carryon his back, in addition to a
Dutch oven, in which to bake bread. Rpaching his lot, a small piece of
grounll was cleared in which to plant potatoes. The next thing was to
obtain seed potatoes. After inquiry and search a few bushels were pur-
('hased from Archie l\f('Lean (who livpd a f('w miles below Tiverton), and
a hoe was bought at Kincardine. The carrying of the sped potatoel
through the bush for twelve miles was no small undertaking, but it had
to hp done. 'ro carn money to purchase provisions for the coming winter
320
RICHABD MCGREGOR
In 1854 there moved into Bruce Richard }lcGregor, with his
family of eleven sons.. and took up 1,750 acres of land near the
Greenock boundary on the fourth, fifth and sixth concessions aud in
the sixteenth concession of Greenock. They came from the county
of Elgin. Being al"lluainted with Canadian modes of farming and
being fairly well-to-do they made good progress in clearing up their
land. They also built a sawmill, run by water-power derived from a
.creek which ran through one of their farm
. (1 ('orgp, onE' of the
another journey to
tratforà was made, and the summer spent in working
for the railway contractors. This was the summer of 1854. When the
time of the "Big Land Sale" drew near work had to be given up
so as to attend the sale. The journey to Goderich was bJ' stage, and the
.sixty miles beyond, to Southampton, was covered on foot. Regarding the
sale, Mr. ?\Iartin says: Mr. McNabb and Mr. Gunn were at the land
office to receive the payments from the settlers. The building itself was
a small log shanty, with an open window, through which the money in
payment for land was handed and a certificate of purchase given in
return. The crowd was so large that the supply of provisions in the
yillage gave out; the second day nothing could be had but potatoes, fish
and whiskey. Of the latter some partook too freely, whirh resulted in
.quarrels and fights. The crowd never seemed to diminish, the place of
those who had completed their business being taken by fresh arrivals.
In the fall his sister and a neighbor, with his family, seven in all.
arrived. As this party had not a roof to cover their heads :Mr.
Iartin
-received them into his limited quarters. One end of the shanty was
fitted out with bunks, one above another; at the other end of the shanty
:a fireplace of stones was constructed, with a chimney built of splints of
wood covered with clay. Having an abundance of wood, the shanty
.was kept warm all winter. The supply of flour, however, gave out, and
lowing to severe snow storms it was impossible to go for a fresh supply.
:so their fare was reduced to potatoes and turnips for a while. As soon
:as possible in the spring the winter's ('hopping was logged and burnt.
-On the land so cleared wheat of the Black Sea variety was sown, the
:ground being prepared with a hoe. The crop being pu't in the ground.
.again and for the third summer the farm had to be left, so as to work
elsewhere to obtain some ready money.
Speaking of one occasion where SOme householc1 effects were to be
brought home, Mr. Martin says: Our company consisted of a man, hi!'
three boys and myself. At Kincardine we came across a settler who
offered to take on his ox-sleigh our boxes as far as his own place, some ten
miles on our way. When we reached there it was dark, so we were invited
to remain all night. We were all ravenously hungry and were delighted
on entering the house to see abundant provisions in the shape of a pot
full of potatoes on the table, flanked by a saucer of salt. These were
speedily disposed of by the thirteen people that ranged themselves without loss
of time around the table. The next day we proceeded on our journey, each
ladened with all he could carry. Time was lost by missing their direction in thf'
woods, and it was getting dark as they were passing through a swamp.
walking single file. Just then they heard a wild hoot, which in their
inexperience they attributed to some wild beast. Urged on by fear, the
'
pressed forward with all haste so as to get out of the swamp; but again
the hoot was heard, this time direeìly overhead. Terror ga,'e speed to
their feet, and in a short time they reached a clearing, where. on
-relating their adventures to the dweller thereon. were henrtily laughed
.at and informed that the cry they heard was but the hoot of an owl.
FOR:\IED IXTO A
IUNICIPALlTY
321
sons, told the author that in the year of their arrival he drove the first
yoke of oxen which had ever heen driven O\'er the boundary line.
...\ngus, the la:4 of the eleven sons, lately retired from farming and
lllo\"ed to Kincardine.
1.n ::-;eptember, lK3-!, the Cnited C'ountie;-; C'ouneil recci\cd a
petition from John )[cLaren and other
, praying that the township
of Brucc be separated from the township of Kincardine and erected
into a distinct municipality. The committee appointed to consider
the petition reported as follows: "L"pon inqniry we have a
certained
that no natural impediments (other than such as might reasonably
be expected in a new place) exist. Further, we are informed that
although a number of
quatters are upon land
of this township, yet
not a single grant, patent, or other authority from government has
been obtained for its ðettlement. Accompanying the petition wc find
an affidavit setting forth that the body of the petition is not in all
respects similar to that upon which the signatures were obtained.
Taking these matters into consideration, we cannot recOlnmcnd that
the prayer of the petition be granted." ...\. similar petition, presented
the following year by Hugh 1\Iathcson and others, mct with a hettcr
reception, and the favor asked was granted; and on the 1st January,
1
5G, Bruce township lIecame a spparate municipality. The fir
t
election for councillors wa.::. hcld at the house of .Tamc:-: Kippen, Peter
Sinclair being the returning officer. rrhe following are the nan1f'S
of tho:-e then c1eC'Ìpd: Archibald
inclair, Alex. )IcKinnon, N ath.
RUf\\ash, Richard 'fcGregor and George Butchart.
\t that time
the choice of a reeve wa:-\ made by the council from among it:- lllcm-
hers.
\rch. Sinclair Wa::, the one chosen, but he, after rctaining the
reeveship for a few months, resigned. Dr. Hotchkin lfaYI1l'
wa:--
c1ectpc1 to fin in the halancc of the ycar. In a footnote 1 a list of
the various 1eeves of the town:-hip up to l
I()G is gi\('n. rrhp ()ffi('('!::
of derk a 1111 treasurp1" of the to\\ n:-hip \wrc jointly held b
'
p..tcr
inc1air from thp formation of the municipality until.
ITlw folluwing ar(' th(' naml'S of thosp who ha, (' 10('('11 r('('ve (If till'
township of BrtH'(" with .n'ar of ofJi(.(': Är('h, Hill('lair, part 1 "\.ïli; Dr. H.
HaYlles, part 1 "\.ïli; .\It.x. :\1('Kinnon, 1
;;i; Thos. Brown, IS,ïS; \\'m. (;nnn,
1;...;;D, l'Hi-l-; f)ona1tl
1('L('lIan, I
(jO, '(iI, '()
, "i3, "iii, 'Hi, 'fiR, 'ili; .Tohn
Hl'ott, part ISIi.ï; .John 11('Ew('u, part of ISH.>; .1. H. C'oulthanl, I "'i!),
I"'io, ',I, 'i
, ',3; E..J. Browu, l
i-l-, 'i,ï, 'ii. 'is, 'iB, I
O, 'SI; .Tohn
Tolmit" IhS:!, '
:
, ''\-1-, '.,.ï; (;eo. lJ('('(ls, I'\"\IÌ, ''!i, 'D-I- 'Çj,ï 'l)li 'I)i 'I)".
Hr. .\lIIlr('w
la('Kay, IS
-;, .s!) :ulIl part of 1,\!}O; R
Ú. '('l;rr
', 'p::rt. of
IS!IO; D. :\1('Xanghtou, I
DI, 'n
, 'H3; .John :\I(.:\'t'llicigf'. IS!!!), iBOO; Will.
Bro\\Il, 1!IIII, 'O
; .\. :\1('L('au, l!lII3. 'ot; .Janu's :\1(' Ew('u, 1!W.ï, 'Oli.
12
322
HGOH :\lURRAY
his death in 1869. Hugh :ßIurrayl succeeded :Mr. Sinclair to the
position of clerk and treasurer, filling the various duties incumbent
upon him for a third of a century to the satisfaction of all concerned.
The offices left vacant on Mr. Murray's death were during the next
fifteen months filled by Mrs. :Murray and her two sons, Clark and
Hugh Murray, Jr. In 190-1: J. G. McKay was appointed clerk and
treasurer, which offices he continues to hold. The first assessor
appointed by the Council was Alex. G. Smith, and the :first collector
was Alex. McLaren. The first township auditors were David Cowan
and Malcolm McKiD.non.
The" Famine Year," 1859, will be remembered in Bruce as long
as any who witnessed it survive. As the details connected with it,
particularly regarding this township, are given in full in Chapter VI.
and Appendix P, the reader is referred to them there.
The interests of the townsbip of Bruce have been, and are, chiefly
of an agricultural character. As there exists no river in the town-
ship to furnish good and continuous water-power, manufactures have
not developed to any extent; consequently its villages have never
attained any considerable size. Kincardine, Port Elgin and Paisley
have all along attracted a good deal of the trade of the township;
this is shared by Tiverton (of which only one-haJf is in Bruce), and
by Glammis (lying partly in Bruce, Greenock and Kincardine);
Underwood, the only village wholly in the township, does not receive
the share of business given to some other villages in the county by
the surrounding townships-e.g... such as Carrick gives to l\1ildmay,
Culross to Teeswater, or Huron to Ripley.
At the time the township was surveyed it was decided to layout
a town-plot on lots 1 to 10, Lake Range, but it was 1856 before the
urvey of lnverhuron was made. The possibilities for making a har-
bor of refuge there have not been developed. The money received
from government toward building a breakwater, extending from the
IHugh "1Iurray was horn in Sutherlandshire, Scotland, in 1833. Having
received a good education, he engaged in business until he emigrated to
Canada in 1857. The following year he came to Bruce. For about seven
years he taught school in the township. In 1869 he received the appoint-
ment of township clerk and treasurer. and held the position until his
death, -which occurred November 10th, 1902. He was made Division
Court Clerk about the same time as Iw rcceiveù the municipal appoint-
ments, and some six years later was made postmaster at Underwood. Mr.
Murray held several other positions of public trust, showing how largely
he possessed the confidence of the community in which he dwelt.
., BAlE DE DORE"
323
point south" arù, was expended in building a pier. This cnabled
steamers to call, which was a great thing for trade alid travel in the
days before railways had entered the county, but it was not a harbor
- of refuge, which, if built, would have fixeù a town there. The little
village in its palmiest days had a population of about 20u. A grist
mill and two or three sawmills found plenty to do in the sixties; a
decade later the sawmills were reduced to one, but three grain ware-
houses had been erected, and Inverhuron became quite a grain mar-
ket, as much as 100,000 bushels of grain having been shipped in a
season from there by water. llemlock bark was also a large item
in the list of exports. The fishermen who lived at Inverhuron "ere
prosperous, and the place boasted of a brick school-house. The pro
-
perity of the little village closed suddenly: on April 13th, 1
8t, the
three grain warehouses were burnt and 30,000 bushels of grain in
them. The fire is said to have been of incendiary origin. I [oWeYCI Þ
it arose, the fire killed lnverhuron, and to-day, as one gazcs at its
mounds of white, shifting sand, it is hard to believe a fl.oUl'ishing
village ever existed there. On a map of the towllship of Bruce,
ome
three or four miles north of In\erhuron, there will be seen the two
town-plots of Port Bruce and Malta. Tho
e adjoin one another, and
together surround the e-xpanse of water that bear
the Hamc of
"Baie de Dore."l This bay impresses a stranger who views it for the
first time, as þossc88illg in a marked degree the sheltpr requin>d in
a harbor of refugc; a
such, however, the bay can bc use(I to only a
limited extent, owing to thc prcbence of extensive rocky f:hoals extcnd-
ing under thl'
aters of the bay. The two town-þIots mentioned
abO\p W(,I"I' sllr\l'}"cd at the t-:alllc time. In the ycar 1855 George
Butchart had the survey madp of Port Bruce, and Capt. .\.
rurray
:l\IcGregor that of
[alta. The first settler at Port Bruce was Duncan
Bannerman; he was also the first merchant. In thc same line of
business there were Cowan & Brownlep, and 'Valter 1{acFar1ane &
Co., John Lindsay ran a sawmill, and \\'m. 'rurner and D.
[cCannell
kept hotels, and Geo. Brid
es ùid a cOllveyanf'ing business. The
total numbcr of inhabitants was about 1fiO. I\t 'iaIta, '[urray
McGregor"s two brothers, John and Gregor, put up the first sawmill ;
this, however, was burnt in the fall of 1858. 'fhe post-offif'f', pst:lh-
]ii"I)(.<l in lR,j(i, \\a
in ('harg(> of ". (,hi
holm. G ('0 rgp and John
'This Rpelling is tlaid to be a corruption of whn.t is claimed to be thp
orig-inn.l Frt'lwh nn.me-Baie du Dard; or, Bay of Dn.rts-appli('ahlr, owing
to thp 1:lrgp fit'lIls of rr('(lR at the Routh ('nil of the bay.
324
UNDERWOOD
Foard were shipbuilders. In all there were about 125 inhabitants
in 1\Ialta. These two adjoining villages seemed to be thriving and
likely to develop into an important commercial centre, when, on July
4th, 1862, a conflagration wiped the two villages out of existence.
Only one house was left. The inhabitants lost everything; not
having the means to rebuild, there was no recovery from the blow,
anrl the villages were not. The names are almost forgotten, and
the locality where Port Bruce and ßIalta stood is now known as Baie
de Dore.
Underwood became a post-office"in 1863. J. H. Coulthard was
the first to hold the position of postmaster. He also had a pearl-ash
factory and kept a store; from these the village appears to have
developed. An hotel, of course, was early there, the" Green Bush,"
kept by Charles )IcLean. The addition of a sawmill in 1870, a grist
mill in 1875, and also a cheese factory in the same year, and the
lmilding of two churches, with the location of the township hall there,
helped to make Underwood the municipal, business and social centre
of a large portioll of the townghip.l But the greatest impetus that
rnderwoOll rccpin'd was from the wiping out of the competition
exert"rl by Port Bruce and
f aIta. The hulk of the trade which had
gone to these yil1age
pre,"ious to their destruction by fire naturally
drifted to rnderwood, as well as some of the population of the two
defunct villages.
Glammis 2 is situated at the junction of three townships, and while
noticing it among the villages of the township of Bruce, the author
i
aware that it would have beell as appropriate to include it in the
chapter on Greenock or Kincardine townships. 1t was in 1852 when
the firï:.t sctt1prs at (;lammi
3 took up their farm lots. Their names
were Allan Ross and Duncan Campbel1. At that time there was no
'Of the two c hurellf's a boye referrell to, the first erected was a frame
building built about l
ô9 hy the unitNl efforts of the Presbyterians and
Baptists, who jointly worshippell there. The latter denomination ultimately
sold its share in tlle building to the Presbyterians, who lIOW own the
edifice. The sel"ond church mentioned was built hy the lilethodists ill
18,6. It is a bri('k building ana ('ost in the vicinity of $1.:0;00.
. 2" Glammis " is the spelling adopted by our Post OfiÎl:e authorities.
The inhabitants of the village prefer spelling it " Glamis," which agrees
with the present spelling of " Glamis Castle," Forfarshire, Scotland. But
there the word is pronouneed as if spclle<l " Glams." There seems to be
no reason to doubt that the village is named after Glamis ('astle, made
famous in Shakespeare's c, :\IaC'heth."
3The author desires to acknowledge his intlebtedness for many of the
farts here given to an historical sketch of Glannllis village, prepared by
F. H. Leslie, and published in 1900.
GLA1nnS
325
thought of a village developing there; but in time a Presbyterian
c-ongregation wa!' formed in the locality, and there, in 1858, they
erected a fine hewed log building as a church in which to worship.
Then, in 1860, a post-office was opened, and the place had a name.
J ames Crawford, the first merchant, became also the :first postmaster.
R. "\"f. Harrison, in 1867, was the next to open a store, and he acted
as postmaster for many years. The :first sawmill is said to have been
built by one John Fraser. This passed into the hands of )1. J.
)IcIntyre. It was ultimately purchased by Thos. Pickard, and the
business, with a new mill, is now run by T. Pickard &
on. The
Presbyterian church remained unplastered for about five years after
being erected, and was used until 1896, when it was replaced by the
rre
ent hand..ome edifice. The Baptists built a modest building for
a church in 1866, which was used until 1884, when a new church was
built across the street. The :Methodists in 1889 built the church
they now occupy. This little village gives evidence of developing,
and promises to continue the business centre for the immediate dis-
trict surrounding it.
If the annals of the early school days in Bruce could be written
by the pen of a "Ralph Connor," they would prove to be an interest-
ing chapter in the experiences of a new settlement in the bush. The
author is pleased to acknowledge the kindness of the Hev. X. D.
McKinnon in supplying some recollections of his early school days
spent in a Bruce school. }..s he remembers it, the school buildingq
at :first were generally of logs. The furniture was the simple!:'t pos-
sible, consisting of a long desk along each side of tlw room, with
corresponding benches for the pupils to sit on. The walls adorned
with hut few maps. The blackboard, about 3 x 4 f('d, on which,
with a piece of carpenter's ehalk, proòlems in mnth(}lwJtic
were
\\ ork('<! out. I n
trnetion wa:. to a large f'\:tent (,o1l\'('ye<! hy a .. tall-
n i ng pro('csc:." Thf>rc WaS a t('acher in S. S. X o. 14 in the
'ear
] 864, well remembered because of his severit
., who on one occasion
punished a girl 80 unreasonahly that hcr C'nraged father came to the
school with the intent of (lealing out summary justice to the
teacher, had not the latter circumnavigated the arpa around thp stove
so nimbly that he could not be canght. .\
a last rp
ort thp fathpi
called his children out of the s('hoo1. and other parentR who had ('orne
to witness the teacher being thr
shf>il. did likewise. For the rpmain-
ing' three monthf' to the end of thp y('ar t1w rf'gl1lar att.}IHlance of
326
SCHOOLS OF BRUCE
scholars was one lonely boy, varied by the occasional appearance of
three others toward the end of the term. But there were other
teachers of a different type. One school in the township (S.S. No.
13) attained more than a local reputation for the interest manifested
in higher education. A teacher in the person of Peter :Mcrravish was
secured for this school, a man of scholarly attainments, filled with
an intense desire to impart instruction. That this enthusiasm was
recognized is shown by the fact that grown-up men and women, from
not only Bruce but Saugeen, came to satisfy their thirst at this foun-
tain of knowledge. As a result of such a teacher, the honor-roll of
men and women from this school who have, in their several ways,
made a name for themselves in the battle of life will favorably com-
pare with that of any other school in the county. Of these the fol-
lowing entered the ministry: the Rev. D. Finlay, Rev. J. )1. ::\IcLeod,
Rev. Donald McGillivray (missionary to China), Rev. John McGilli-
vray, Rev. Malcolm :McGillivray, Rev. N. D. McKinnon, Rev. Albert
Jones, Rev. Jacob "Howe, and Dr. :Margaret McKellar (medical mis-
sionary in India). Of teachers, those who have pntered the pro-
fession from this school are the following: A. H. Smith, James
McKinnon, Charles Cameron, D. McKinnon, ::\'Irs. P. :\IcTavish,
Mrs. J. Anderson, and others.
The churches in which the people of the township worshipped are
mostly mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, or in that on 'riverton.
Of those not to be so found are two churches of the United Brethren
in Christ, on the fifth concession. Originally there was hut one con-
gregation, but when the denomination at large divided on some point,
this congregation followed suit, the seceders building for themselves
a brick church not far from the site of the parent one.
Thf> Presbyterian church on the Saugeen boundary, known as that
of thc Qupcn's HilI, or North Bruce congregation, was built in 1866.
Its first minister was the Rev. \Vm. Matheson; following him was
the Rev. John Scott, D.D., inducted April 28th, 1875. The minister
at present in charge is the Rev. Hector
IcQuarrie. At first the
congregation at North Bruce was united to one on the eighth con-
cession at Gresham, known as the Centre Bruce congregation. This
union was dissolved, North Bruce becoming united with St. An-
drew's, Saugeen, and Centre Bruce with the Underwood congregation.
.
Of public works on which the municipality has spent money, the
lnwm;hip of Bruce has but little to show, the drainage of the hem-
DHAINAGE
327
lock swamp on the fourth concession being about all. Debentures
for $800 were issued to pay for this work, which was carried out in
the late seventies.
The first settlers in Bruce township were largely natives of Scot-
land, or of Scotch parentage; their descendants of to-day evidence
by their general prosperity and by the honorable position they occupy
in the community at large that they are worthy descendants of the
sturdy, God-fearing Scotch settlers who, dreading not the hardships
of pioneer life in the bush, have been instrumental in making the
township of Bruce what it is to-day, one of the most prosperous in
the county.
CHAPTER XXIII.
VILLAGE OF TI VER TON.l
IT was in the fall of 1850 that the primeval forest that covered
the present site of Tiverton was entered by its first settler, Timothy
Allan. The survey of the north part of Kincardine Township had
just been completed, but that part of the township of Bruce in which
Tiverton lies had not been commenced. For several years the work
of clearing the bush went steadily on before the idea of a village at
that spot was thought of. It was the fortune of the author, in the
spring of 1857, to tramp along the "Boundary Line" from Inver-
huron east to the fifteenth side-road, but he cannot recall of then
seeing any evidence of the village that subsequently was developed.
It was, however, in the same year that Norman )IcInnis there opened
a store, and it is probably the year which Tiverton may claim as that
when it commenced to. take form; but it was 1860 before it became
known by the name it now bears, that is, when "Tiverton " was given
as the name of the post-office then opened. The one store was thp
most suitable place for the office, so naturally the postmastership was
given to N orman
IcInnis, of whom it may be said in passing, he,
as much as anyone else, deserves the honor of being called the
founder of the village. He it was who opened the first store and
also the first manufacturing industry of the place, which was a pot
and pearl-ash factory, which he commenced to operate in September,
1860. The next industry added to this was a wool-carding mill run
by A. :McBain, which mill at a later date passed into the hands of
James l\fcLeod, About the end of the sixties a grist mill was added
to the industries of the village, John )IcLeod being the miller. John
IThe name of a town in Devonshire, England. It is said that Norman
IeInnis and the other petitioners, when applying for a post-office, sug-
gested the name " :::;t. Andrews." This the Department would not agree
to, there being another post-office of that name. Uf several names offered
" Tiverton " was chosen, it being the name of the borough for which
Lord Palmerston, the English Prime :Minister, sat in Parliament, and this
no doubt had something to do with the choice made.
328
CHuRCHE
329
Dewar, also, about the same time, opened a store, the second in Tiv-
erton. From this time, and for the next ten or twelve years Tiverton
bccame somewhat of a market. The grain there purchased used to
be delivered at one of the warehouses at Inverhuron; this business
ceased with the burning of these warehouses in 1882, as they never
werc rp!milt. It W<l:, during the:--e year
the village attained to its
hi
hest notch as a busines" centre, and new industries were started,
among which were a sawmill, a planing-mill and machine f:hop. but
the largest and most prominent of them was .Tohn )[cDonaltrs tan-
IH',"Y, \\ hieh l'm ploYl'tl about Ì\,"cIlty-fh l' hand:, and ha I an output of
ahout $'20,000 worth of leather per annum.
[n lR
-l Thp lrfllcltlllflll. Ti\erton'::; Ill'W:,papl'r. wa
fountlctl by
Alfred Robim:on, who. after publishing it for a few year
. sold out
to John Pollard, who conducted the paper until 189(): since that date
three or four different publishers have supplied, through the ('olumns
of The lVatchman.. the village with ih, local and general news.
The congregation now known as that of Knox Church, Tiyerton,
when first organized was called the congregation of South RruC"f'. and
worshipped in a log building at Sinclair's Corners. Tn lR6() a IH.'W
fr3111e church was built at Tiverton, and the first settled pastor, the
!:C'\.
\l('\. )[l"Kay. wa
that
all1e ycar inducted into hi::; fir
t l'harge.
The Hpv. ,r ohn .Anderson 1 in 1870 commenced a long pastorate of a
qU<lrtf'f of a cC'nhuy. HC' wa:-; followed in the p<l
torat(', for the years
1895-97, by the Rev. .T. Stevens, and he by the pre'=ent incumbent,
tk' B('y. K. )[cLennan, n.n. Tn 18fiR fHammis W<l:, unitcd with the
Ti,"erton congregation; the union, howf'ver, was hut temporar
'. On
.Tuly 2nd, l!)OO, the corner-stone was laid of the handsome and l'om-
motlious brick edifice in which this congregation now worships. _\
goo/! deal was made of the opportunity thus offered-and rightly so-
to ;efer back to the early days of the congregation, nml man
' out-
siders were in attendance. The dedicatory serviccs Wf'r<> held .Tan-
uary Gth. l!I01. tlw Hr''"- Prinl"ipal Grant. of QU<><>)l'S TTni\(\rsity,
officiating.
The TIaptist congr<>gatioll "as organi7l'tl in lR,j:), 111ldf'f tIll' zl'al-
ous efforts of the Rev. 'fro. Fraser, who usl'd to walk from his farm
at Lorne to Tiverton every Sunday. where he cOllductf'd SC'f\ i('f'
in
'()n ()dober 14th, HI04, tht> Rt'\'. :Yr. .\n.lpl""loll t'OIllIllClIlorat('cl the
fiftipth :I1Inivt>rs,ln" of hi"! or.linatinll. .\ llulIlhpr "f 1llC'IIllwrs of tlH'
Prc'!oIhytc'ry of Brn;'t> "prp I'rt'''!c'nt tn unitt' \,ith hi"! old '"'IIl
rpgation in
on'pri nJ! C"" n J!ra t \lla t iOlls.
330
IXCORPORATION
English and Gaelic. The year 1857 was that in which the first church
was built; the presf'nt one was built in 1865. 1
One week and a day after the corner-stone of Knox Church was
-laid, the }Iethodists of Tiverton engaged in a similar céremony.
This congregation, feeling that the day of frame buildings for church
edifices was past, have erected a commodious brick church.
Being somewhat out of the main current of the world's activities,
Tiverton in the early days had at times to depend upon local effort
to conduct its religious meetings. In illustration of this, the writer
recalls an incident related to him at the time, which was somewhere
about 1862. The annual meeting of the Bible Society was announced
for a certain evening, at which an address was to be given by a trav-
elling agent of the Society. The evening came, and with it a fair
number in attendance, but no agent of the Society. The roads were
heavy, so allowance was made for that. To hold the audience
together until the expected speaker arrived, the chairman announced,
"Vie will sing the 119th Psalm. (This, the reader will remember,
contains 176 verses.) The tune, some familiar one such as "Bal-
enna," was raised, and bravely the audience started to sing, and sing
they did through thirty-two verses, when the flow of psalmody was
stopped by the arrival of the Bible Society agent.
The County Council of Bruce passed a by-law, December 5th,
1878, incorporating the village of Tiverton. According to the" Mu-
nicipal Act," it was necessary that three months elapse before the
by-law could become operative; this was overlooked, and the election
of a reeve and councillors took place on the last :Monday of Decem-
ber. To correct this oversight it was necessary to have the House of
Assembly pass an act, which it did (42 Vic. chap. 4
), to confirm the
IThis little church bas maJe a record that many a city church might
be proud of in the number of ministers it has sent out to preach the
Gospel. Among those who have thus gone forth might be mentioned:
Rev. A. A. Cameron, of }-'irst Church, Ottawa; Rev. J. P. McEwen (late
Superintendent of Home Missions); Rev. P. A. McEwen, B.A., York Mills;
Rev. James
IcEwen, B.Th., Wiarton. ; Rev. J. R. Coutts, Field Secretary
of Brandon College; Rev. Wm. Holbin, White Lake; Rev. P. C. Cameron,
B.A., Paris; Rev. Duncan :Menzies (deceased); Rev. C. J. Cameron, B.A.,
Field Secretary of McMaster University; Rev. Carey M. Cameron
(deceased); Rev. Archibald Reekie, Bolivia Mission; Rev. Lach. McLean,
Michigan; Ebenezer Cameron, B.A., student pastor at Reaboro; Rev. W.
P. Reekie, B.A., Sparta; Rev. E. ,T. McEwen, Uxbridge; Rev. T. T.
Shields, Adelaide Street, London; Henry Lowick, student at Chicago;
Rev. P. A. McDiarmid, B.A., Rochester; Rev. Edgar Shields, .Kincardine ;
Rev. P. H. McEwen, Vancouver; Rev. D. P. McLaurin; Rev. Alex. Kippen
(deceased); and Rev. D. S. McEwen-about twenty-five in al1.
FIRE OF lx
lï
3:H
by-law and also the election of reeve anù councillors. Their names
were as follows: Reeve-J ohn C. 'IcEwell; councillors-J ohn
Ic-
Aulay, Joseph Robertson, John
IcLeod and G. B. Lamont. The
first village officials were: Duncan Cameron, clerk; Norman :McInnis,
treasurer; Donald Robertson, assessor; and George Dayton, col-
lector. The names of the various reeves of Tiverton and their years
of oflkt' .up as follows: John C. )leE\\ en, lR79, 18öO, 1885, 1886,
1887, 1888; John McDonald, 1881; J. J. Fee, 1bb2, 1883, 1biH;
.John Pollard, U5
9, lb:JU; John _'ld\..ellar, 1891, 18
, 1893;
L
11. 1IcKinnon, 18
4, 18
6, 1891; R. Ballantyne, 1895; Dr. 'Y. J.
Chambers, 1898, 1900, 1901; D. A. )IcLaren, 1899; .N. M
Clnre,
1902, 1903; J. H.
lcKay, 1904, 1905; A. McKinnon, 1906.
[n the fall of 18!)7 Tiverton suffered from an extpnsive fire, which
caused serious loss of property in the business portion vi the village,
most of the principal shops being alllong the buildings then ,lestroyed.
In view of this severe loss, the County Council refunded to the village
the amount of the county rates for that year. The buildings
destroyed have been replaced by handsome structures, and it is qup:::-
tionable if any village of its size in the county can show such up-to-
date shops as Tiverton.
The public school building is one of good size built of brick, aud
cost about $3,500. The frame building previously useù for school
purposes has been turned into a town hall. In this building the
author, in June, 1882, made the only political speech he ever
attempted. The circumstance is here mentioned only to illustrate
the political leanings of the electorate of Tiverton at that time'. The
meeting referred to was in the interests of J. H. Scott, the Conserva-
tive ('andidate for West Bruce. rfhere Was at that time only onc Con-
servative elector residing in Tiverton, nnd hf' rdm:('(l to act as e'hair-
man of the mef'ting to be held; so a Libf'ral, John )fel)onald. the
tanner, was ashf'cl and kindly consentrd to act as chairman at this
meeting held in the interests of the Con
t'n ative party. 'f r. '[cDoll-
aId did this, no doubt, much agninst his inclinations.. hut it wa
a
graf'ious nd. The' me'eting òid but little to change' the politics of
rriverton at that time, but other causes have been at work. and tIll"
political parties fire not now f;0 one-
illp(l. Th(' o Ill' C()n
el"\'at iv('
vote of 1882 hnd been mu1tipliecl in 190 l hy more' than thirty fold.
The' suhclivision of farm lots intu \ illa;.!e lot
by n. rf'gisterec1 plan
oc('urrf'cl in the follo\\ing orc1er and at tJH' datf's gi\f'n. The first
was 111:111(\ in Octo her, lRGR, and \\ns of tIll' Wf'
t half of lot 1. COTIces-
332
SURVEYS
sion 12, Kincardine. This was followed, in September, 1870, by one
of lot 60, concession" C," Kincardine, and in May, 1873, by one of
lot 1, concession 1, Bruce, and in October, 187-1, by one of lot" J,"
concession 1, Bruce. These, with other subdivisions of farm lots,
were combined in 1879 into what is known as the "Corporation
Plan," comprising the five hundred acres contained in the village
proper.
It is a pleasure to note that the business founded by Norman
McInnis in 1857, and which was the germ from which Tiverton
developed, is still flourishing, although the respected founder has
pa
sed to his rest. Another store in the village is that of .T ohn
:JlcKellar, a man who has helped to make Tiverton a business place.
His name is associated with cheese manufactories, as well as with the
mercantile interests of the place. Another of the business firms of
Tiverton is that of Ballantyne & Ord, both members of the firm
being long identified with the making of the village.
At the time of its incorporation Tiverton claimed to have a pop-
ulation of 834. This must have been an error, for two years later,
by the census of 1881, the population was only 545. Tiverton is the
E'mallest municipality in t.he county, hut this designation will he
changed when that day comes when the projected electric railway
reaches and makes a town of Tiverton.
Subsequent to the writing of the foregoing, Tiverton has suffered
again by fire. On July 19th, 1906, the grist mill owned hy
:McCracken Bros. was burned. As there is a doubt about this indus-
try being rebuilt in as complete a form as before the fire, the injury
to the village can be appreciated.
CHAPTER XXIV.
T01VNSHIP OF CARRICK.l
E
TR.\.CT FROM THE REPORT OF COUXTY VALUATORS, 18ï
.
" This we found to be the best adapted township for stock and dairy
farming of any in the county, on account of its numerous springs, and
its soil, which is mostly loam mixed with limestone, which is better for
grazing 'and root growing than stiff clay. There is a strip of very rough,
gravelly land running through it, termed "The Forty Hills," which is
very inferior land, but the balance of the township is mostly ordinary
land. It has the best outbuildings of any township in the county, and has
a larg p amount of village property. Its average price per acre is $33.23."
EXTR.\.C'l' FROM TIlE REPORT OF COL"KTY V ALU.ATORS, 1901.
" There is a great deal of very good land in this town::lhip, and there
is considel'able quantit,y of the roughest land to be found in the county.
The latter applies to the south-wf'stern portion of the township, nevertheless
the settlcrs seem to be very industrious alld prospcrous, even in th(> worst
"Jections. Land is selling readily and at good prices. The township is well
watered with spring creeks, and stiff clay i::l not to be found. '1'he facilities
for nUlking roads arc good, gravel is abundant, and as a result good roads
prpvaiI. Buildings and fences are good and farms well kept and clean.
Carrick has good railroad facilities, and is also close to the county tOWll.
The Elora Uoad, runuing diagonaBy through the township, causes a number
of gores in each concession. The rate per acre is $39.13, of which the
village vroperty is $4.30 per acrc."
'rHE to\\ nship of Carrick \Va::; ..ettlecl with grcater rapidity than
possibly any other to\\ II ship in the eounty. Therc were scvcral rea-
SOliS for this. The lands, being ('rm\ n land:5, werc to be had at a
lower price ($1.50) than
chool lands. Then a rumor got abroad
reganling the 'inality of the soil, to the effect that this to\\nship
contained the choicest farm lands that were oppued for salc in this
di
lJ'id. a fad :-:1I!fi('i('lIt in it
('\f to ('
plaiJl \\h.\' :--pUler:-: entpf'l'(l with
a rll
h.
In 18:")0-31 1\. P. Brough laid out the Elora T10ad from the
north-west ('orner of [1arrick down to the township of '[aryborough,
staking out the lot:.; ill Carrick OIl concc::.si()n
" C " alHI ., I) .. on each
JThp titlf' of Earl of f'arrit'k wa
onf' horne hv HolH'rt thc Bnll't'. and
nO\\ II.' till' t'1c1I,"!t son of till'
1J\.t'l"f'iJ!n of l;rt'at. Britain.
335
336
FIRST SETTLERS
side of the road; the rest of the township was suneyed in 1852 by
J. D. Daniel. Prior to survey several sqnatters had entered and
taken up lands in the northerly part of the township. Among these
were John Hogg,l Andrew Hutton, Louis Fournier and John Toran-
jeau. These men squatted on their lots in the summer of 1851.
Shortly after the survey was finished the rush to locate farm lots
commenced. Although the lands were not in the market, and were
not offered for sale until the "Big Land Sale," held in September,
1854 2 long heforf' that date every lot in the township was squatted
upon.
Early in 1853 the inflow of settlers into Carl ick commenced.
Prominent among those who to>k up land in the township in this
year were 'Ym. Dickison, Edward Hickling, 'Vm. Thomson, who set-
tled in the north-eastern part of the township; _\.ngus, Robert and
John :McPhail, Samuel Clendening and his sons, Thomas, 'Villiam
and Charles; Robert A. :l\Iorelen, Ahraham Johnston, Charles,
Thomas and Frederick Jasper, Alexander and Donald McKay, Rob-
ert 'Yills and Arthur Deacon, .who settled nearer the centre of the
township. The first settlers to take up lanel in the Ylcinity of l\Iild-
may were Robert Young, J ame
Grey, rrhomas Liscoe, Andrew
lAs the first settler in Carrick, John Hogg deserves a short biographical
sketeh. John Hogg was a native of E(linburgh, Scotland. In 1844 he came
with his parents, to Canada, being at that time fourteen years of age.
The family settled in the county of Renfrew. In 18.:>0 John Hogg canH' to
Bruce. After working in the vicinity of \Yalkerton he, in the following
.ear, squatted on land which, when the survey was made, proved to
be lots 18, on coneessions 13 and 14, of that township, for which lots he
subsequently obtained a patent. On entering the bush, of money he had
little, and his outfit consisted of little beyond an axe and a few necessary
cooking and eatin
utensils. His bed was but a pile of hemlock brush
spread out on the usual single-posted bedstead. (This backwoods bedstead
was always found in the corner of the shanty, the walls of which
supported three corners so that only one post was needed.) The staple
article of his diet at first was potatoes. After he had grown wheat he had
to take it to Durham to be ground. He relates that on one occasion, after
a long and tedious journey with a yoke of oxen; he reached Durham without
any money, so he could not go to the hotel for a meal. By and by a bag
of his grist was filled up and he proceeded to relieve the pangs of hunger.
The process of baking was as follows: The top of the bag was thrown
down, exposing the flour, some water ,,,,as poured into it and the two were
mixed into a batter; this .was kneaded roughly into dough in the form of
a srone and placed upon the top of the stove used for heating the mill,
and baked, first on one side, then on tlw other. It required the digestion
.of a backwoodsman to digest sueh an article of diet. :Mr. Hogg took an
interest in the municipal matters of the township and was deputy reeve
in the years 1864 and 1863. He ,,,as prominently eonnected with the
.Walkerton Presbyterian Chureh. He was married in 1
5í to :Miss Bell,
who survived him. His end came on February 1st, HHl2."
See Appenrlix K.
GER}[AN SETTLERS
337
Dunbar and his son James, Joseph Young,
amuel Carr, Adam
Johnston, .J ames Clark, James Butchart, John Reddon and his bro-
ther-in-Iaw, John CamplJell, Ale
. )IcLaren anù Thomas B. Taylor.
These were followed by John, reteI' and Thomas
hennan, who set-
tled at Balaclava. The south-western part of the township shortly
afterwards received its pioneer settlers, among whom were Anthony
\rynn. ThonH1ð 1[c1Iichael, Henry )[eDermott, George, John and
Thomas Inglis, James and Adalll ] larling. It may be safely stated
that all of the foregoing entered the county by way of the Durham
Hoad, as the Elora Road was not chopped out until the summer of
1854, the work being done by Joseph Bacon, as mentioned in Chap-
ter V.
Carrick is distinct among the townships of the county in having
a large pcrcentage of its inhabitants claiming either German birth
or descent; in fact, in many portions of the township the German
element forms the majority of the population. The first body of
those of this nationality to settle in the county were those commonly
called "Pennsylvania Dutch," :Uennonites in religion, who
ettled
in the township of 8augeen. Carrick received the next contingent,
who settled in 1853-54 in the vicinity of Formosa; these wcre largely
natives of the southerly part of Germany or from Alsace. Prominent
among them were )lichael Fischer, .Toseph and )Iichael Seitz, Andrew
Zettle, I)hilip Hauck, Anthony Schumacher, .J.P. (commonly known
a
.. Baier TOI
Y ..). :\1 iehad
[o:-:a<:k and ('harle:-: L"hri('h. Thi
ela
of
ettlerR had re
ided long enough in "New (1erman y;' 'Y a terloo
County, to acquire a knowledge of Canadian ways of farming, and
a:-: a <:1a:-::o: wprc well-to-do scttler
. OthC'rs who ahout thl' sanIl' time
:-:ettled in the ea
tern part of the township were :\[atthiaR RickC'1. P.
Binkle, IIenry Evers, Peter and .Tacoh Eck(.l, John BiC'man. .Tohn
and 1J atthia
Stroller and Henry Dahll1f'r. r 11 thl' l"l'ntre of the
towlI:-:hip. in the ,icinity of lJecmerton. there settl('(l
\ndl'(\w,l
_\nthony and Thoma
Diemert, Peter and Joseph Emp1. .Tohn and
.Tacob "ïl'gand. The earlie
t Gennan sdt1
rs in thl' ,-i{'inity of
,J i]cllllay wen"' Gc'org(" Fn'dcriek and .J o:-:c'}lh \rc.ilcr. C'har1e:-; \r C'i:-:-
hahn. EfIlc,
t. Fred('riel,;: awl Hpnry Zinno \ugu
t ancl' Frc"'clC'riek
KI('i
t. It is to the crpclit of Carrick that its inhahitant
of varipd
ral"l'
. different languages and diverse faiths have lived from the first
with an entire ah
cnce of feeling as to faCP or ereC'd. markedly
1 \nrlrew lmilt tl1(' first tannPQ ana .\ nthony the first sawmill at this
point.
338
TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
attested all these years by the composite character of the Township
Council and its officers.
The first assessment made in Carrick was in 1853. At this time
Carrick formed part of the municipality of the United Townships
in the county of Bruce. Carrick's total assessment for that year was
;E373, and the amount of the municipal levy
2 9s. 9d. The rapid
development in wealth of the township from this year may be seen
by an examination of Appendix}'L In 1854 the union of all the
townships in the county as one municipality was dissolved, and Brant
and Carrick as united townships became a municipality.l Joseph
'Valker, of Brant, was the reeve of this municipality for the years
1854-55. In 185Q this last-mentioncd union was dissolved, and Car-
rick commenced its separate municipal existence. The first meeting
of the Township Council was held at Balaclava, at .T ohn
hennan's
tavern, on January 21st, 1856. The council consisted of 1Iichael
Fischer, Seth Rogers, 'Vm. McVicar, Peter McVicar and A. Diemert,
James Gorsline acting as clerk at this meeting, which elected Peter
McVicar as reeve. A t the second meeting Edmund Savage was
appointed to the joint office of clerk and treasurer, which position he
held until June, 1812. In a footnote 2 are to be found the names of
those who have held the position of reeve of Carrick from the year
1856 to 1906.
The township of Carrick has certain natural advantages which
have saved it from incurring large financial obligations necessitating
the issuing of debentures. Being in a great measure free of swamps
IAn effort was made in 1854 to have Carrick erected into a separate
municipality, as the following extract from the County Council Minutes
of Report of Special Committee on the separation of union of the townships
in Bruce, shows:
" Petition of Thomas Liscoe and others praying that the township of
Carrick be erected into a distinct municipality. '\Ve cannot recommend
that the prayer of this petition be complied with, inasmuch as the gross
assessment of the township, upon which county taxes are applotted, is
only f330, and calculating the county taxes for this year at 2<1. in the
pound, the whole sum payable by this township would amount to only
f2 15s. "\Ve respectfully submit that it is quite unnecessary that a reeve
should be sent here, at a cost of f12 or f14 to the county, for the purpose
of guarding the interests of this township."
2List of reeves in the township of Carrick: Peter )Ic Vicar. 18.36, '57;
:Michael Fischer, 1858, '59, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '67, '73, '74. '75,
'76, 1880; Ignatius Kormann, 1868, '69, '70, '71, '72; J. Murphy, M.D.,
1877, '78; M. Campbell, 1879; Wm. Dickison, 1881, '82, 'S
, '8-1-, 'S.3, '86,
'8ï; John Henderson, 1888, '89, '90, '91; George Lobsinger. 189
: Aaron
Moyer. 1893; C. Liesemer, 1894, '95; James Darling. 1896; .Tames John-
ston, 1897; R. E. Clapp, :M.D., 1898, '99; L. Lintz, 1900; :Moses Filsinger,
1901, '02, '03, '04; Conrad Schmidt, 1905, '06.
BALACLA \" A
339
it has no scheme of drainage to prO\ide for, al\(l. unlike the tuwn::;hip
of Brant, to the north, it has no large stream:, to bridge, with the
involved necessity of expensive structures for that purpose. The
debentures issued by the township have been on account of the village
of )Iildmay, for the erection of a school building and to purchase a
fire-engine, for which sectional as
essments are made. The issue of
debentures for the school building was !þ3.'200, and for the fire-engine
$4,000.
The settlement commenced by the three :Shennan brothers at
Balaclava seems to have been the first to have taken upon itself the
form .of a village. John
hennan's tavern there was the first in the
township, and the first store in the township was there opened by
his brother. For a number of years Balaclava was a thriving little
village and was the hub of the township, the municipal nominations
and most of the Council meeting:, being held there. A Presbyterian
congregation in connection with the Church of
cotland was there
formed about 1861, which along with the congregation at )Iount
Forest formed a charge over which was settled the Rev. John Hay,
a very gifted minister A post-office establishf'd there in 18!)6 bore
the name of "Glcnlyon;' of which John Shennan was postmaster,
his successor in office being "ïlliam Hay. This office, after remain-
ing open for about sixteen years, was closed in 1872. Balaclava at
one timc had a population of about 150; this would he ahout high-
water mark in its best days. The reason for thc rleeay of Ralarlava
was that in the contest for the position of thp railway
tation
I ihl-
may had the good fortune to secure it, as referrt'd to in the follow-
ing paragraph.
J\Iildmay commem.pd to take form a:-; a village about It'()7, "hen
Samuel 'If'rnf'r had a sun ey made of part of lot '26, concession" fl."
For the first half-dozen years the place wa:-: called
lprncrsvi1le.
although the post-office, which was established in 1868, W
b known
as Mi1dmay. The first postmastcr wa
T>nnal(l 'fcLf'an. who al
o
was the first merchant of the place. The three watcr privileges on
Otter Crcek, in or about '[ildmay. have all bepn uspd to ad\'antage.
rrhe first industry to which water-power wag applipd wag a
nwmi11
erecterl by
nmupI Carr. near the pre
f'nt railway station. \ grist-
mill is saiò to ha\ f' bef'n estahlished by a man named
tf'wart lah"
in thc fiftics: of this tllf' author ('annot nffinn, hut in 1Hn7 thf'rp
was a good grist-mill nm by 'Yi1liam 11 urrn
T. Thp nu('l("u
around
which vi11agps form in a nf'W di
tri('t i:,; g'f'Il('rally R hlnC'ksmith :-;hop
340
l\IILDl\U.Y
and an hotel. The first of each of these in )Iildmay was started
respectively by .Tohn Lenhardt and Charles
chiel. Before the rail-
way had reached the county of Bruce there were established at Jlild-
lllay a woollen factory by Edmund Berry, and a pottery by 1. Bit-
schey, besides grist and sawmills. Having these industries lo('ated,
and also having good water-power for further industries, the village
of )Iildmay presented greater inducements to the railway company
for the fixing of their station at that point than could Balaclava, and
therefore obtained the coveted prize.
iIice the opening of the rail-
way )Iildmay has made very rapid progress, so llluch so that it is
doubtful if there is another unincorporated village in the province of
it:-: :-:ize and activity: c('rtainly it can rightly claim to pos
ess a larger
amount of trade than several of the incorporated villages within the
county. It has its local newspaper, The 1Jlildmay Gazette, estab-
lished about 1893, a system of electric lighting and banking facili-
ties, the )Ierchants Bank having estahlished an agency there in 1
)Q0.
X 0 village in the county is more loyally supported by the surrounding
country than is )Iildmay, which fact seems to assure its continued
prosperit,v.
ext to l\Iildmay the most important village in the township of
Carrick is Formosa. Its situation is unique, being in a valley
through which runs Stoney Creek, supplying water-power to the mills.
In thi:-: vaHey therc are places wherf' lûw. roeky cliffs picturesquely
intrude themselves upon the line of the highway, to avoid which the
:-:treet has to forsake the usual straight line until the rocks are
past. A settlement was formed at this point in 185-1, but the village
did not take form until some years later. John B. Kroetsch started
a sawmill here in the fifties, which was the first industry of the plaee;
some ten years later he added to this a grist-mill. The first store
was kept by A. Schick, and the first hotel by .T ohn Kartf's. The
post-office was established there in 186'2, the first postmaster being F.
X. )[essner. It is not too much to say that )Iessrs. ..L\.nthony and
F. X. )Iessner were the leading spirits of Formosa for about thirty
year
as storekeepers and private hankers. In a footnote l is given
'The death of l\Ir. Francis X. ::\Iessner, which occurred :ð'[arch 10th,
1906, removeS a prominent pioneer and philanthropist. In 1862 he, with
his brother Anthony, settled in the localit
. of Formosa, then a dense
forest, and started several business enterprises, encouraging settlers and
helping them to establish the homes they m'e now enjoying. An earnest
promoter of Catholic education, he built two convents, one in Formosa
and another in ',"alkerton. His philanthroph:'T was not confined to Bruce;
he was ever ready to assist charities throughout Canada. He was most
FORWARD
341
a biographical sketch of F. X. ::\Iés::,ner which will ellable the reaùer
to see why he will be remembered in connection with Formosa as
long as the pre::;ent generation of the ,"illage are ali, e.
Thc inhabitants of Formú:sa are almo:-t entirely of German or
Alsatian birth or descent, anù are members of the Roman Catholic
Church. The church they lUl\-e erected is by long oùùs the finest
ecclesiastical building in the county. It is built of stone. Its dimen-
tions are 160 by (;11 feet, and its lofty ::;pire, glistening in the sun-
light, may he :O:CL'n for mill's around. During the eredion of the
building service::, were helr1 in the old frame church erected some
twenty years lu'c,-iously. the peculiar feature being that the new
building was huilt around and about the old one, until at last but
glimp
('s of it only could he had through the windows of the building
which was heing erecteù. This fine church WH:-I openeù December
9th. 1i'i
3. The first church seryice
at Formosa were held in tht; old
log school-hou
('. that stood on the
ite of the present sehool building.
The first priest to be stationcd at Formo
a was the Hey. rather
tier.
The Hey. Father Gehl is the pric::;t at pre::,ent in eharge of the paI'i
ll.
After the chul'C'h the ne),.t promiIl('nt building in the village is the
convent, uIlIler the charge of the si
ter:, de X otre Dame. Thi:, build-
ing-. the gift of .\. and F. X. .Jll':-:-ner, wa:, opened. by Bi:,hop .Farrel,
Ol'Ìohl'r
oth. 1",;
.
\ hoanling--school (,OlH.lul'Ìed by the si:;:ter:-: has
been well patronized.
::;ome few years ag-o it 'nl:; ac.,
,.rtpd that tl1('r(' were indication,;; of
tll(> l'
i:-;tl'n('l' of coal oil at Fonllo:-"l. .\n arÌl'sian wdl wa::- sunk
ovrr a thousalHl feet accp, allli at onl' tini(' it Wil
thought that the
"
were on the point of striking oiL hut oIlly to be di:.:appointell.
\nother well not far off "a;; 'lmk with like result. _\ fine tinw of
"atcr ('OBll'S from the:.:c wl'l1s. ,,'hidl i:.: an tIll' unfortunatc sharp-
holders hm-e to
how for their l'
IIl'llIliture. A "PrImm
('tt1l'll\C'nt
without a brewery woulfl bp inromplt'Ìl'. Thi
lWl'd \ra
llppli('a to
Formo:-,a about lfo:l;!). W]Wll .\IHll'ew Hall huilt hi
hn'wl'ry. whieh.
unlIt'r clifTl'I'l'nt ownc)'
. i
till in opl'J"atioll. In a pun'I," Gl'rnum
8ettl('llwllÌ lag(.r 1.l'('r i
partakl'n of a:o: ont' of tlw onlinary antI 11('('(':-'-
sary thing
of life. ] [ow much this is
o hil
hl'I'1l evir1I'J1f'l'II at Fn)'-
8U('I,t'ssful in husint's" until nil I1ntortunnt(' pntprprisf:' l'nusp.] him J!rt'at
lossl's anti s:lI1c1pllt'cI th(' last fpw ypars of his lift', owing to till' ÙIl't
tll3.t sump of his fril'JIIls WPrt' in\"oln'cI with him, :\Ir.
Ipssnl'r \\ as a
promint'nt Lilwml, nnil on onl' Iw('asion rt'ceÏ\ (>11 th(' unaninllJus nomination
in East BnH'(' for tht' Hnusl' of ('onllnon
. an hOllor \\ hil'h hI' .1t.eHnl"l. lit'
is survin'll h
hi" wi.l.)\\. -1'11(> (;l()lu', Toronto.
34:l
CARLSRUHE
mo::;a in days now past, where e\ ery ;Sunday morning, after hearing
ma
8, the hotels were filled by the church-goers having a quiet mug of
beer before starting on their drive back to the farm; and, strange as
it may seem, the licens
inspectors did not think it advisable to enforce
the law there in regard to prohibited hours.
Another of the villages of Carrick is carlsruhe, which derives its
name from the capital of the Grand Duchy of Baden, in Germany.
Its location is elevated and healthy, and it:::; inhabitant::; are said to
be noted for their sociability. (Delltstll
r .1/Udand 'ltnd Gemuetlich-
keit.) ...\. post-office was opened there in 186-1-, Ignatiu;, Korman
.being the first postmaster anù al
o the first merchant. His successor
\Va:s Ernst Seeber. 1 The Roman Catholic chur('h in the village is one
of the foremost in the diocese. T t is Jl}mldlefl a Her the cathedral at
RoerIl1onùe, in Holland, anù is of the UOlllèlllc8l1ue :style of architec-
ture. It was built in 18'{3, at a cost of orer *15,000. Its :numerous
stained-glass windows are artis6e alHl worthy of inspection. The
first resident priest was the Rev. Franz Ha.ssaerts,
r.LH.8" a mall
of scholastic attainments and large-heartedness. His death occurred
in October, 1886. The prescnt incumbent, the Rev. J. E. \Vey, P.L.,
possesses the affection and respect of his parishioners. There are in
the village both a public and a Homan Catholic separate schooL
Carlsruhe, although not a populous village. has many of the luxuries
of larger places, such as electric light
, two daily mails, and is con-
nected with the outer world by both telegraph and telephone.
Otter Creek, although not fI large
tn'alll. has been made the most
of a::i a source of power.
\.ft(-'r (lri\ ing" the mi11
at )[i1dmay. it is
next used to furnish pnwer to the Haugcl'll Yalley Roller Mill. noW
owned by Jacob Steinmiller & SoIl. 'l'his mill was originally built
in the seventies by \Vm. H. (']C'ndenillg and \Ym. ßrown. He failed
to make a success of it, and tIle' mill pas
ed into the hands of thc
:Merchants Bank, who sold it in 1886 to
[r. Steinmiller. 2 Fuder his
management the mill has obtaine
l a wide-spread reputation for the
high grade of flour produced. It was awarded a bronze medal at the
\Y orld's Fair at Chicago in IbD3. It also carried off the Grand Prix
ll\Ir.
eeber filled the office of }Justmastf'r from lR69 until 1906, except-
ing four years which he spent teaching SI' hool at X enstadt. During this
interim Albert Goetz held the offil.e.
2Jacob Steinmiller camc to this county from Germany, in 1867. His
experience as a miller extends over half a century. He claims to have,
in 1875, set up the first roller ma(' hinery in the province, the machinery
being imported from Yienna by ::\ll'ssrs. Snider, of St. Jacobs.
PRIV ATE BANK .FAILUItES
3
3
at the l'aris Exposition of 1900, awl a diploma at the Iuternational
Exposition at Glasgow in 1901. Thi
mill has a capacity of 1
3 to
130 barrels a day. _1 large proportion of the flollr
lr. :::ìteinllliller
grinds is exported. Further down the stream, near where it empties
into the Saugeen River, George Harrington in 18li
erected a grist-
mill. rrhis was run for about twenty-five years by different proprie-
tors, whcn it unfortunately was burnt do\\n, and has Dot been rebuilt.
One of the first congregations of any denomination to be organ-
ized in Carrick was that of the German Evangelical ...h:sociation on
the eleventh concession, which H\ent occurred in 1855. The Rev. D.
Dippel was one of the pioneer ministers of this denomination in Car-
rick; through his efforts, and those of other workers, not only this
church was established, but also one of the same denomination on the
seventh concession, and another in :Mildmay. rrhe Lutheran church
on tlIP eleventh concession was early organized. It is claimed that
this was the first Lutheran congregation formed in the county. The
first minister was the Rev. ::\1r. 'Vunderlich.
The farmers of Carrick were heavy losers by the failure of F. X.
Iessner in 1897, and_ of the Carrick Banking Company in the follow-
ing year, many having deposited their savings with these two firms.
These losses have been more than made up during the subsequent
years of prosperity, for the farmers of Carrick are thrifty and suc-
cessful agriculturists. 'Vith such characteristi(:s as thes,' we may
always expect to see Carrick among the premier township' of the
county of Bruce.
CH
\.PTER XXY.
T01YKSHIP OF CULROSS.l
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT of COU
TY VALUATORS, 1901.
" Vve found the greater portion of this township first-class soil ana
well improved, good buildings, goud fences, and in a good state of cultiva-
tion. Land is selling at good prices, aud is well adapted for all kinds
of farming, being well watered ana having first-class roads. There is,
however, a very rough strip of about two miles and a half along the
western boundary, which redlH'eS the average rate per acre very consider-
ably, while being very hilly it grows fair crops. Having Teeswater in
the centre, with C. P. R. connectious, anrl having 'Vingham and :\IiIamay
with the G. T. R., within easy reach of southern aml easte!u borders, the
people of Cuh'oss enjoy a choice of markets, an alh'antage no other
municipality in the county has' got. The north-west part of the township
has been cousiderabl:v improved since the last valuation, in clearing and
draining low lands. Some large drains were being constructed when
your valuators were there last fall. The rate pe
acre for this township
is $32.90, of which the village property amounts to 79 cents per acre."
THE township of Culross, like its neighbors to the north, east
and west, namely, the township::; of Greenock, Carrick and Kinlo
s,
was classed among tho:-:e known as Crown lan<ls. The survey of this
township took p]a
e in lH.)
, and wa
made hy (To
[cPhi]ips. Of all
the townships compri
ed in the original county of Bruce, Culro
was
the lat('
t in heing settled. This may he aecounted for by the fad
that no leading road entered it. 1'be lands in Cu1ross wen> opened for
sale at the time of the" big land sale,"2
eptemher, ] 85-!-.
ett1ers
entf'red the township in this its fir:;t year of settlement, and were
fairly numerous, considering they were only squatters. At this time
it was part of the united township
of Greenock an<l Culross, and the
amount of assessment for the year 1854 was f2,923. Among the early
spttlPf
W('Te the following: Andrew Zettle,
\.lexander and _-\.rchihaM
:Mclntyre, :Matthew Hadwin. Thomas )Ialoney, Charles lrwin, P. B.
Brown, James Reid, Charles and .T a 1lles Turner. )[ichael Brennan,
11' Culross " is the name of a royal burgh and distrid in Perthshire,
Scotland, and also is said to be' the name of an estatp of the Earl of Elgin,
the Governor-General at the time the sun"e,v of this township was matIe.
2S ee Appendix K.
344
,ì::oIl
Ic;I..I< l olc
11 11/111111 \" II I II I"'" I I I J I II I III i . II !,
, ,,
I ':ft !\
I
IJS".J
-'3 J1 J )Ø !9
. 27 9.
h 23 ?IK,
ÙI/9 If, r I. IS I, 13 12 /1 I/O 9 3 );"6 5 '1- 3 2 1 Þ .
/ ci
'
,- :
/
' \ :t=-
) Tlm[ I \,. I V wt-
,,\V
, ""
A /
, .1 .
/ rt
î
I j I txir U I \ I I . '" iLl
I
1/", -..... +- I,..
/ I) 1\ I 1 :
.t
II n',fJ'-IJ}'
)"r-- .",,1 / f
-
;fTl 111 r
t ) I_
:.
S U \
--j
lillJIJ ,
{ :4J .
I F'-.l
rIt) JrI7x.
r- - ] j 'r>< -.
1 Ì-L-.-
I l.
_. Pf Ch
:Iot
j rt.!.. _ 1..---..'"
j
.
F/Q ...L
::;'
)I ..../
( '
't';:
"';,: r-z:" "<.........
( v
'-?! I
(v\ V'-i\ I
3H
I) IJ
I 1 (1\
I
I / \ -l.DJ.
\ / 1>---,-1-"
. , .
' I : 1)1 f
) ..-
' '\
' I
1'5
t
),I -3tr PI 24 1.7 U Z5 2
23 22 2/ 7ð 19 It. 7 , IS (.. \ 2 /I 1(1
S T 6 S .. J Z I
-
: \ 1: \
I
r
lI
rR.!-n-
..' ; , \ r '\
.i .
r
L.::._ , _
I If
I
J' 1-
--'-1-
'2
--
2'
'-
".
/
" ./
......----y
I
):
1- --: '"
,/
/
),_.r
19
--
,a
--
'1 !
-I-
I. MI
IS
1:)tf
1
13
I
-
.!-- -
.. -
=:;>
'- io--
EARLY SE1TLEUS
247
Dougal Campbell, H. Davis, Henry Haldenby, Anthony Shoemaker,
\V m. Roame, Alexander Forsyth, Ira Fulford, John ,IcKague and
others whose names the author has not been able to obtain. ...\.s an
illustration of what the early settlers in Culross pa
sed through, the
experience of James Reid is here given. )[r. Reid, being stirred up
by a request of the author for an account of his entrance and residence
in CuJross, wrote a letter in
Iarch, 1902, which was published in the
Teeswater News. :::'omewhat abridged, it is here given:
" I landed in Culross about the 13th of September, 185-1. There
were very few shanties In the township, then an unbroken forest, and
I was guicled by the surveyor's blaze. The lots were aU numbered
with a f'harp iron on a Fhort post put in the ground. I took up the
two lots that I am now on, on the 7th concession. Culross was mostly
settled with Scotch. Irish and English, the north-east corner with
Germans. The" Rig Lanel
ale" was held on the 27th Sept., 1851:.
A lot of us left here on
Ionday morning, the 25th, and got to
Southampton on Tuesday afternoon. \Ve found it a little place
"ith about t\\ ù or three hundred of a population, three hotels. and
not much accommodation for such a mass of people; but the weather
was all that could be desired. A. McX abb was the Crown L:mds
Agent. rrhe office was a log building about 16 x 1
feet, with a
Fmall window in the hack, which was open to permit the buyers to
hanc1 in their letters. with C' 10s. enclosed, along with the number
of their lot
, COllce
ion and township. f.7 1 Os. was the first instal-
11lf'nt. Owing to th(' crmn1 it was almost impo
!=:ihle to get to the
offiee window,
o 'I r. ,[eX abh got two men to carry in "these lettprs
from the people. The two men were .J ohn Shf'nnan, from Balaclava,
Carrick, and 11 r. \L )[cLean. the po
tma
ter at \ValkC'rton. The
crowdin.!! still continued so great that Mr.
rc
ahh saw a better
plan might be adopted, which was as follows: Two con:;;tables. whom
he ha(l to keC'p oI'llf'r, told the people to aU move back from th..
office, thC'l1 two hour:, would be given to eaeh township at a time,
until all the county wa
attended to. The work went on well antI
was finishflil on Saturday afternoon. It took aU the week for the
!=:alfl of the lot
, í'"X('C'pt
omfl in fflrior 1and
in t1w township;; which
Wt'rí' !=:o1r1 in afh'r
'('ar:,. 'rIwn the :-ale Wil!; on'r thí' pm pIe wcnt to
thflir
fI\C'ra1 to\\ni-\hip
to put 11P shantic
to preparí' for the win-
t('r. lIIany of th('
(' hC'ing put up in Octoher following. The neÜ
thing wa:-; to !!('t
omt'thing to 1i\C' on all \\ intflr. :md to gt
t roans
opflnf'd through the forC',t. J n tho
e days flour ilwl pork w('r(' very
high in price, owing to Ow Hu
:-:ian 'Var. Flour Wil
$10 pflr harr
'l
an(l pork !f'10 an(l *11 pt
r h\lnnf(
(l 1h,;. 'Iany of \I
in ru1ro
:,
348
JAMES REID
carried the first flour we used on our backs 16 or 11 miles, but when
the snow came we got a man and oxen to bring what we needed.
Then, for work through the winter, you would hear axes going and
trees falling, everyone anxious to get the forest cut down and to
hew out a home. The timber in those days was of no value. In
the fall of 1855 we in CuIross had no lllail service nearer than
Ir.
Ritchie's, who kept the post office on the Durham line near Ennis-
killen,
o a few of us met where Teeswa tel' village is now and for-
warded an application to the Postmaster-General for mail service,
which we soon got, the post-office being named Teeswatcr after the
river. )Iatthew Hadwin was the first postmaster. In the summer
of '55 and '56 some of the settlers had a little crop and a few cattle.
Lumber was much needed to put up buildings for what little crop
there was and for the cattle. The need was supplied by the late
Peter B. Brown, who had taken up lots 14 and 15 on the 6th con-
cession, which forms a part of Teeswater village now. P. B. Brown
was an enterprising man. The river crossed the front of hi:5 two
lots, which gave him a fall of about 8 feet of water, so in the SUlll-
mer of 1835 he built a daTIl and in the fall he put up a sawmilL In
the fall of 1R5G he put up a grist mill, which was running in the
winter of '5ß and '.
7. The settler:, were bU:5Y with chopping and
logging bees, clearing up their farms and putting up log houses,
log barns and also some frame buildings. 'Ve were a happy people
in those days, and all went on well for years. Culross was, and is,
famed as a grain-producing township. I have known a yield of fifty
bushels of fall wheat per acre and weighing sixty-four lbs. per bushel,
and of thirty bushels of spring wheat per acre of sixty-two lbs. per
bushel. Being far frolll market it became quite a task in a stormy
winter to get the grain marketed. Clinton, thirty-four miles dis-
tant, was the nearest railway station, and it took two days for one trip.
Clinton was our market for years. The farmers Lt'came very anxious
for a nearer market as the quantity of produce increased,
o we were
well pleased when in the winter of 1869 and '70
Iessr
. Laidlaw,
Baxter and Dickey came up from Toronto to Teeswater to agitate
in a movement for the construction of a narrow gaufle railway.
Among other things these men made us farmers believe was that
we would realize five or six dollars a cord for two foot wood in
Toronto. The Company got a bonus of $43,000 from Culross,
although only three miles and three-quarters of the road lies within
the township, and I think the road was in operation in the year '74,
and it ran four or fixe years. The narrow gauge was not bad in
summer, but in a stormy winter it was no good. The little horse
was as nothing in a snow drift. One winter it was put in the engine
house about the end of January an(l stayC'(l there nntil spring. As
OTHER PIOXEERS
34:9
the narrow gauge coulù. not do the work required, the Company tried
to get another bonu;:; to make the road one of Etandard broad gauge,
but failed, and the road pa
:o::ed into the hands of the Canalh! Pacific
Railway Company. Culross and Teeswater have had very good rail-
way accommodation ever since."
\.s complemental to the foregoing, another interesting narrative of
one of the pione
r5 of Culro5,
, relating his experiencls on entering the
bush, is here inserted. It has been furnished by Archibald .M(;Intyre,
of that township:
'" 'Ve, the )[cIntyrc family, consisting of mother, we three
brothers and three sisters, left Hinehinhrook, Lower Canada. in the
spring of 185-1, "hen the last of the Gon'rnnll'nt Lands in the County
of Brm;l' were to he openeù up for
alc. We took our team
and
waggon and some luggage with us. came up the
t. Lawrence. and
landing in Hamilton off th<>
teamer
lrabiall, thankful for ha,'ing
pas:"I'ù in bafet
. through a
t'H're :-:torm on the way up. An older
:-:i
tpr aJllI hcr hu:-,hand. who hall COUl(' to rpper Canada some year
previously, were ..ettlC'(l in Oueida Town:-:hip, twenty-nTe mile:, out
of Hamilton. )[
. Oll1l':-,t hrother aJllI my:-,c1f left the family and
tuff with them HUll :-,tartl'c1 for the hu:-:h. "
e trampcd all the WH
'.
1.'ia (;odC'rieh. Kine-anline. Greenock. ana into rulro
s until we !=:truck
tlIP Tee:-,wah'r I:in'r. ,\-: Wl' liked the timher awl :,oil tlH're we went
no furtlwr. From an llIH..h' in GreC'nock wc ohtained a:\.es. flour ancl
tpa. amI
l't ahout 11ll(ll'rhru:-,hing on the lot
on either :-:ide of the
15 side-liIH', in order to f'
tahlish a claim to those lots. 'Ye did not
see the face of a soul after l'ro
ing the stream. to u
thf'n nameless,
hut aHC'rwa 1"11:-: cal1f111 Tl'l'
w(ltC'r. 'fl> workprl a wel'k and unlit r-
hrnslH'11 quite a pifl(,C' of laJll1. 'fe hakC'a our !=:C'OUfI!=: on ('oal
sp1"l>ad
on'r with a:-:he:-,. T waR ('()Ok. Alec was fi:-,herman awl fare(l wph.,
hnt a!=: T lH'Ye>r likell fì:-,h [ had naught hut t('a with m
'
('on
. ,,'('
:-:lppt }><,aedully on hru:-,h. (li:-,turhe>d hy n('ithpr man nor b('a;;.t, until
the hright .T UHC' morning:-:
ummOlwd our arnwd. wmged ('nemi('
1"
\u'gin their f:tinging ah.H'k,.:. It wa:;: hl'Hutiful w('at1wr, no rain all
thp timC' we wen' at work on our ";uppo:-'l'd claim. :"'Iuffi('ient unflC'r-
hru-:hing IlOlll', we tr\Hlgl'll ha('k to Onei(la awl worked among tlw
farnwr:-: until nmr the> C'1l(1 of
I
pte>mhe>r; t}wn WI' madp a final shu{
with our team ann folk for a hOlllP in Culro
s. 'Ye> ('al11e> hy wa.\'
of the> narafra\.a roan to 1 )urham amI the>nce> to my unc1c\; on tIll'
Hurham linf'. From Durham to 'Yalkflrton wp ,,"pre> in con
tant fear
that our hor!=:I':-" limh:- would h(' hrokpn, thp ('ro
swaY roarl wa
so
hall. Ifmn', pro WI' got to Gr('(,llOck in :--aff'ty. and th
re> w(' l('ft our
he1ong-ing:;: m1til WP !"houlfl pn'pal't' it hahitation on our lots for thC'ir
350
ARCHIBALD .\IcI.NTYRE
occupancy. 'Ye were amazed at the rush of people looking for land
at this time. Every lot appeared to be taken. 'Vhen we got to what
we thought were our lots, \\e found P. B. Brown and a :Mr. Ford
had shanties put up on them. \Ve could have held on to the lots,
having done the first work on them, but gave way in favor of :Mr.
Brown as he purposed putting up a grist mill, this being such a
necessity in the settlement. "
e took up our stakes and went south
to the second and third concessions and there took up the lots 21
and 22 on each concession. '" e built a good big shanty, and thither
\\ e brought our folks. As the horses would be of no use in the bush
we sold them in Greenock and bought o
en. Coming in we had to
make our own road, cutting underbrush and small trees, and wind-
ing around large ones, avoiding marshes and getting around about
hills. Our ox team with waggon was the first that forded the Tees-
water River at that point, and the only team in the neighborhood
until springtime. Provisions were hard to get the first winter.
:\Iany a back load was carried miles through the wilderness of woods
in those days. To buy boots for myself and Alec I walked to
Goderich, a distam:e of 30 miles, as we could get them no nearer.
There were wolves, but we did not see them. Only once did we hear
a howling pack of wolves in the settlement. That was one night
the second winter we were in. Their yells were hideous, and many
a shanty door was barricaded until their sound died away in the
distance. The Highlanders were prominent in the first settlement
of Culross. ì\fcKinnon, :M:cKay, :McKenzie, McDonald and many
other representatives of the different clans were strongly in evidence;
but many of them not being so famous with the axe in the forest as
their ancestors were with the broadsword on the battlefield, they
gave up and sold their claims to newcomers from the older counties.
P. B. Brown's mill was erected as promised, grinding slowly, to be
sure, but sufficient to supply local need. :Mr. Hadwin began in a
.small way to bring some commodities to the village for sale, making
it our trade centre. Among those who came to our neighborhood
and purchased from the first settlers their claims were the Ballaghs,
Colvins, .McAliisters, l\IcGregors, Caslick, Straths, :Marshalls and
Allisons; mostly all these bought small farms. It was thus that
settlers came in throughout the township, making an excellent com-
munity, who observed the Sabbath and also held meetings for wor-
ship in private houses until churches and schools were built, the
history of which institutions I must leave to an abler pen than mine.
Notwithstanding the dangers of the felling of trees, great and small,
there were not many accidents and very few fatalities in the town-
ship. ::Marriages were numerous and every household seemed happy,
thus laying a good foundation for the advancement and prosperity
whid] Culross now enjoys."
lUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
;)51
"'hen the union of the towll:::;hips comprising the county of Bruce 1
was passeù the townships of lxreenock and Culross were united, for
municipal purposes, to form one municipality.
rllÍs union lasted for
two years, George Cromar being ree"e during both years. On January
1st, Id56, the union was dissohed, anJ the township of Culross from
that date onward has existed as a separate municipality. The first
COllncil of the to
nship consisted of Peter B. Brown a
reeve, \Ym.
)fcl\Cllzie, Thomas Jlaloney, John Gilroy and Ale}.ander Ross as
councillors. In a footnote 2 are given the names of those who have
filled the office of reeve from 1856 to 19U6. Robert \Vatson was
elected clerk and treasurer. In a footnote 3 is a list of the names of hid
successors in these offices down to the present time. The Township
Council of Culross ha5 always contained men of ability, and has ever
been economical in the trend of its legislation. ..A marked exception
to this characteristic was the submitting, in 1811, to the ratepayers for
their "Vote a by-law granting a bonus of $43,0004 to thp Toronto, Grey
and Bruçe (narrow gauge) Railway. This action was t.aken from a
recognition of the great need of a local market for farm produce, and
which could only be secured by the entrance of a railway into the
township. This by-law carried. .An effort was made on several occa-
sions to have this large indebtedness assumed, in whole or in part, by
the county, but on every occasion the rounty Council voted the
proposition down. The township was relieved of part of this liability
by the vi11age of Teeswater when it was separated from the township
on .T annary 1st, 1875.
'
"e
\ppendix F.
2Names of the r('eves of Culross: Peter B. Brown, 1856, '57. part of
'58, '59; Wm. McJ{ague, part 181)8; Thomas :Maloney, 1860; Alex. McIntFe,
186], '62, '63, '64, '06, '67; F. H. Scboals, lRtì5, '6S, '69, part of '70; A.
Gibson, part 1870; George McKibbon, 1871, '7
, '73, '74; William Scott,
1875 to lS
fI; .T08. l\foir, 1890, '91, '92; .J08f'ph Welwood, 1893, '94, '95,
'96; Henry McKay, 189ï, '98, '99, 1900, '01, '02; E. C'. Kuntz, ]903, '04;
Jas. Donaldson, 190.;, '06.
SRobert Watson W:IS eleded clerk ana treasurer, which officj:'s he filled
for three
'ears, when .John Logan received the appointment to both offices.
In 1862 Thomas Fairbairn was made clerk, which uffice he filled until
1873, wl\('n it pass('d into the hands of John Marshall, who held it for the
next thirteen years. Since then the position has b('en held by R. E.
LitU.., A. Gibson, George Wilson, and the present township clerk. Charles
Button, who has held the office since 1
91. The township treasurership was
held by .John Logan till lSï2, then by Wm. Colvin till 18S6, then by
Samuel Kirkland until his d('ath, in 1893. lIe was 8uccpeded by Peter
Clark, who also heM the office until his death, in 1905. .Tohn Clark, his
son, i8 now the holder of the office.
.$.'),000 of thi
amount was a sectional bonus raised by that part of the
township after\\arcl
incorporated as the villngl
of Tees\\ater.
352
?10SCOW
The only attempt made to develop a village within the township of
Culross that succeeded was in the case of Teeswater. Other villages,
such as Belmore and Formosa, are on the boundary of the township,
and are not wholly in Cu1ross.
Ioscow (or Cheviot P.O.) is different,
being nearer thp heart of the township. Here Paul ROSSI tried to lay
the foundations of a yillage, having a survey made in the same year,
1b56, as Teeswater was suryeyed. He early had a sawmill in opera-
tion, and in 1
6
he had also a grist mill. A tannery, established hy
'fm. Clark, was one of the indu:-:tribi of the little burg. \11'. Ho:"':;
made some money on gravel road contracts, and, wishing to live nearer
the county town, he in 1869 disposed of his )Ioscow property to.
Andrew JIcLean, who succeeded to the title, c, Emperor of
Ioscow,"
one that had been humorously bestowed on :Mr. Ross. . farewell
supper to )Ir. Ross. on his leaving Moscow, was given on January 7th,
1870. The
Ioscow mills were destroyed by fire January 12th. 1880,
and with that cataf::trophe the prospects of a town developing there
faded away. The water power at this point is sti11 available, and may
some day be utilized to generate electric power.
The large area of lands in the township of Greenock, and to a les
e).tent in Cu1rú:-:;, that approach more or less the conditions of swamp
lanch, which condition would be changed if the Teeswater River were
only deepened for a part of its course, has attracted attention for many
'(>ars. The first suney made to determine the best course to pursue
was made in 18()8, ann.. is referred to in Chapter XXX. Nothing. how-
eyer, seems to have been done until about 19()2, when the matter
again came up. Andrew :McLean addressed the County Council, and
trlC'd, lm:,uC"ce:,:,ful1
'. to p.'C't that hody to take action. The
member for South Bruce, R. B. Truax. Esq.. ahout the same time
obtained the promise of a grant towards the work from the Provincial
Gm-ernment. The municipal councils of the two townships intere:,ted
dpcidec1 to take action in so far as to find out the prohablc cost. and
also benefit of deepening the river, so in the winter of 1902-03. when
the river wa" frozen over, .James 1\ T arren, C.E., under t1w direction of
the towm-hip councils, made the necessary surveys. anrl drew a profile
of the bed of the riyer from Chepstowe to the eighth conceo;:sion of
Cu1ross. That part of his report referring to the towm-hip of Culross
is as follows:
"I have made an examination of the Teeswater Ri,er from the
bounrlary of Grcenock to the 8th concession of Culross. with the ,iew
lAfterwanls a mayor of Walkerton.
DEEPEXI
G TEESW ATER RIVER
353
of having the river deepened, and beg to report as follows, viz.:-
" I find that the river runs very dead in a good part of the way,
but from the 8th to the 10th concession the fall is enough to give a
good current, there are no very great obstacles in the way of deepen-
ing the channel, as most of the bottom is mud, or muck, that can be
easily removed.
"I would recommend that the channel be deepened 30 inches at
the öth concession briilge, and continued on as shewn on the profile,
as prepared. [would have the channel 20 feet wide so as to include
the river in low water, and that would also help to keep the chamlel
clear better than if it was wider. The distance from the south
hounilary of (ireenock to the 8th conce.;;
ion of Culross is 9 1-4 mil!':,.
.. I would estimate the probable cost of the work at $1,390. The
total acreage of the lots affected in whole or in part is 6,714 acres,
of which I would place the value at $101,630, anrl the total benefit
of the lands affected at $5,455, and the average cost of the work,
eounting the whole acreage of the lot:-; affected in whole or in part,
would be 65 1-2 cents per acre nearly.
.. Taking the scheme as a whole in both the township of Greenock
and ('ulross the work is quite feasible, and would be of great value
to the township, as it would thus enable lands to be cultivated that
cannot now be cleared up, owing to the river not giving sufficient
drainage for surface water. \Yhen these lands are once cleared up,
t hey will make excellent gras:-; lands, and would also be good for
I'oot:,. \Vhen the lan<<1 would hel'OIlIe !=:omewhat consolidated the land
woul(l yield good crops of grain."
The above report, although it showed that a most desirable
improvement that would add wealth to the municipality was perfectly
feasible, was not arted upon, and the Teeswater River flows on now
a:::: sluggishly a
of yore.
Excepting in the rougher lands towards its westerly boundary,
there is no township in the county that exhibits greater evidences of
the prosperity of its farmers than dops Oulross. Some of its farmers
have obtained a provincial reputation in their several specialties, such
as Henry and Peter ..\rkell for thf'il' breed of sheep.
The author.wouM have made this chapter on Oulro
s longer if he
could, but after many futile efforts to obtain furthpr facts nnd data
about the settlenlPnt and history of the township from those in the
township who ('ouM supply the IQ('al coloring
o necessary, hp f!Rve it
np. and c1o
p
the ('hapt('r.
13
CHAPTER XXVI.
rILLA.GE OF TEEti1VATER.l
THE present flourishing village of rreeswater commenced to take
form in 1
5(), when the owner
of farlll lots
os. 15 and 16, on each
of the concl's:;ions Ü and {", in the township of Culross, had a SlUyey
made of portions of their farlll lots dividing them into village lots.
The names of the owners of these farm lots so subdivided were :'Messrs.
P. B. Brown, Alex. fiibson, Ira Fulford and Matthew Hadwin. In
the preceding chapter it will be noted that two of these lots were first
taken up in 1854 by Alexander and Archibald
IcIntyre, but who sur-
rendered thf'ir squatter's claim, owing to the promise :Mr. Brown gave
of erecting a grist mill at that point. The first mill dam was erected
by :Mr. Brown in the summer of 1855, and in the fa11 of that year he
had a ::;awmi11 started. In the course of a couple of years a grist mi11
also was built and running. The presence of these mills at this early
date, with ample water-power, together with the e:;tablishing of a post-
office,2 give assurance that a vi11age would develop at this point. In
addition to the achantages just mentiol1ed, the site of the vi11age
being almost in the centre of the township, made it the "hub" of
the municipality, as well a:, an f'xeel1ent distributing point. Like
other vi11ages in the backwoods with only a local trade, its growth for
years was very slow. [n 1861 a11 jt contained, besidés private dwell-
inf!.:', W('1"(' two
tore
, two ta\l'I'llS and a grist and sawmill, with a
wC'f'kly mail service. By 1866 the following industries had been added
to the vi11age: A foundry, foundf'c1 by David Fairbairn, ,Jr., a tannery
anà a pearl ash factory.
rrhe prospect of a railway comjng to Teeswater gave an impetus
to the growth of the village. In the strenuous contest throughout the
county, jn 1869, as to which railway ,,'as to rpeeive the promised
county honus, 'Tpeswater and the township of Culross !it large fought
'The name of the village is derived from the Dame gin'n to the river
flowing through it. But who named the stream, or when named. or wh
'
so e a 11(>(1 , the author has lWt been able autlwntieally to find out. but it is
said to 118ye }wen given b
' one of the snrve
'ors' of tIlt' township who
was born near tllf> rin'1' TN'8. in En
lan(l.
The post-offi<:e was establislwd SeptpmlWl' 1st. l
;j(ì. )[athew Hadwin.
lwing thp first postmastpl".
354
RAILWAY BONUS
355
hard for the '1. 1 01"onto, Grey and Bruce HaihHl), and, as may be
imagined, the inhauitant; were by no means satisfied when the
\r ellington, Grey and Bruce Railway Company obtained the majority
of the votes cast throughout the county. Determined to have a rail-
way, the question of granting the bonus to the rroronto, Grey and
Bruce Company from the township and village wad suggested and
(;arried. The township as a whole, including at that time the village
of Tee::;" ate!", ga\e a uonu:; of
;
.uuo. In addition to this, that part
of the township which afterwards became incorporated into the village
of Teeswater gave a sectional bonu:; of $5,000, making a total of
*4:3,000 received by the railway cumpany.
There is no doubt that (he railway has proved the lllaking of the
,ill age of Tceswater, a fact which has justified the granting of such
a large bonus. The initial
tep ill the construction of the railway,
which has had 1 1 eeswater as its western terminus for so many )"ears,
was the turning of the first sod at Weston, in October, 1869, by
[LU.H. Prince Arthur. '1. 1 he payment of the bonus to this railway
promised by the Government seemed to ha'e been delayed somewhat,
which prolonged the time of construction, so that it was November
l()th, 1
74, before the first passenger train reached Teeswat.er. rrhis
1rnin hronght up a large number of those who were interested in the
road, who werc warmly greeted on their arrival, and to whom a ban-
quet was given that evening. The number of arrivals was so much in
e:\.cc
s of the accommodation which could be furnished by the hotels
in the village of Teeswater at that dab', that although many of the
eiti.æIls hospitably threw open their homes to the visitors, yet many
of tlu'lIl :-;Iprt that nig-hl OIl helldu.:-: in the to\\ n hall.
rrf'eswater as a separate municipal corporation commenced its
existence on the 1st .T anuary, 1875, the by-law authorizing this hav-
ing been pa
bed by the County Counr'il on .Tl111P 5th, 1874. The first
Council consisted of the following mernbprs: Alexander Gibson,
fPcve; .T. Fraser, 'T. Rtephens, .T. Rallagh and
I. Hadwin, councillors.
"
ellington
Ic Vety was appointcd village clerk, and Thomas 'fc-
Kague, viUage treasurer. r n a footnote 1 are to be found the names of
thosp who have fined the office of reeve from 1875 to 190(). The basis
]Th{' names of the reeves of the village of Tf'l'8water: A. GihMn, 1:-.í5
'7tì; ,Tas. FraAPr, 1877, '79; T. Shannon, 18í
; T. Stephens, 1S
lI, 'Rl, 'R
:
'90, '91; T. Fairbairn, ]
2, ''36, 'Po7, '88; W. R. 'llhompson, 1tiSJ '8.>
'94, '95, '9û; L. .\. Brink, 1'\89, 1900, '01; John Campbell, 1892,' '93;
Dugald Stewart, 1897; W. G, Orr, 1898; D. DonaldAoll, IS99; S. R. Brill,
] !)()2: Peter Purv('A, 1903; D. PergnAoll, 1904, '05; W. .J. Hardy, 190fì.
356
SCHOOLS
of bettlement between the township of CuIross and the newly incor-
porated village of Teeswater, arrived at at the time of the separa-
tion, regarding the apportionmC'llt of assets and liabilities, was based
upon the assessment roll of 18ì4 in the proportion of 31/34s. for the
township, and
3/34s. for the \'illage. This resulted in the village
receiving at that time from the tOWIl:3hip $120 of funds for the cur-
rent year in the hands of the township treasurer, and $281 of sink-
ing funds raised on account of the sectional honus .Jo the railway.
On the other hand, the village undertook to pay, by way of sinking
fund and interest on its share of the $38,000 railway bonus deben-
tures annually, the sum of $103 for ::5inking fund, and $135 for
interest, until the maturity of the debentures. The village also gave
a debenture to the township for $1,300 for the township's share in the
real estate known as Edmunds Square. 8ince the time of separation
the village has undertaken extensive local improvements, which called
for issues' of debentures as follows: For water works, $9,000; for
public park, $1,500; for granolithic sidewalks, $7,847; for additions
and repairs to water works, $1,550, and Arscott loan, $2,000.
The town hall dates back to the days when it was the township
hall of CuIros;:"!, it having been erected before the village and town-
ship separated. The present fine school building is the third the vil-
lage has possessed. The first was erected about 1858, and was also
the first building of its kind in the town
hip of Culross; its site was
on lot 34, north of Elora Street, but the building has long ceased
to be. It has been described as a square log building with a cottage
roof. A description of the interior said: The teacher's desk occupied
the north end of the ôehool-room. Facing this were two rows of long
desks with an aisle between; there were a Iso aisles between the desks
anrl the east awl west waDs. r n thp
e aÜ:lf'
were low benches, on which
the ï::maller scholars sat. Peter Clark was the first teacher, a position
he held for two and a half ypars. He was sucrpeden h
- a )f r. Gordon.
who came from Whitby. The second school building was a fine stone
structure that afforded ar('ommodation for three departments. The
cost of this building was about $2,000. The present school building
was erected in 1878 at a cost of about *6,000. It is built of white
brick and is of two stories in height, with a mansard roof, and has
provision for four departments.
Another municipal asset, and one that shows wise prudence and
forethought, is the system of water works installed for fire protection.
It wa:;: in ] RR9 that this pnhljr utility was C"onstruetei1. costing- the
CHURCHE
357
town about $9,000. After being in use for sixteen years it was neces-
sary (in 1905) to spend some $1,550 for repairs and imprm,ements.
The cost to the town has been more than made up indirectly by the
reduced rates of fire insurance premiums, as well as in prevention of
:fire loss.
The public park, purchased by the town in 189b at a cost of
$1,500 is another possession that the ,illage may contemplate with
satisfaction. :More and more the necessity of puhlic grounds of this
description is being felt, and future generations will be pleased to
have this space for purpú:-,('s of relaxation and amu
ement.
The first minister that is said to have held a public religious .scr-
vice at Teeswater wa
the Rev. A. Bradshaw, of the Episcopal )Ieth-
odist Church, who was stationed, in 1
55, at Kin<:ardine. In 1856
the Rev. William
Iaiden:o: ,vas settled at Teeswater. H
was the :first
minister of that denomination in the village. His early successors
were the following, in the order lla med : Rev. J. Davey, Rev. J.
L
Collins, and in 1tjGO Rev. .T. H. Hilts. a man whom the author
remembers with resppct and appreciation. :;\fr. Hilts was a good
e"\ample of a type of backwoods prea('her of half a century ago. His
Christian zeal, sound grasp of evangelical truth and forceful expres-
..ion of tJl(' same. e"cll
f'd all defect, arisin:;r from the lack of a eollege
training.
The \r esleyan \lethodists also entered this field at an early date.
Their first settled minister was the Rev. Thomas Hadwin. lIe was
stationed at Teeswater ill 1856-1857, and was succeeded by thp Rev.
Ed.
allows, and he by the Rev. William ::;utton. The present
Ieth-
odist Church at Teeswater was erected in 1879 at a cost of ahout
5,500.
As early as 1856 the Free Church Presbytery of London sent the
Ilev. John Scott to minister to the spiritual needs of the Presby-
tr>rians in the vicinity of Teeswater, following this up by sending
other ministers. As a result a congregation was organized, which
proceeded to erect a place of worship. AU this was before the end of
the ":fifties." The Rev. \dam )IcKay was the first minister. His
pastorate lasted from 1R62 to 1870. In the la
t-mentioned year the
congregation divided, part continued to worship in the old church,
which then became known 8S Zion Church, with the Rev. Peter
Currie as its minister. The seceding part of the original congrega-
tion worshipped for about a year and a half in the town hall, and then
erected a church building that bore the name of Westminster Church.
358
PRE
BYTERIAN CONGREGATION
rrhe .Hev. D. \Vardrope was the pastor of this congregation from 18.,1
to 1R86, and the Rev. .1 ames \lalcohn from 1888 to 1905. During
the ministry of the last-mentioned clergyman the two congregations
became united. They now worship in the old church building, which
at present bears the name of Knm.. Church. The Rev. D. Tait is at
prt':-,pnt the minister over the united congregation. rfhe author is
plf>ased to be able to im;ert here an account, which appeared in the
Tee:m ater .J.Yezcs J written by James Ueid, that vividly tells of the early
life of the Presbyterian congregation, and of other incidents of
pioneer days, as follows: .. Your correspondent came to Cult.oss in
:-5eptelllber, 185-1. In the summer of 1855 some twelve of us met at
the corners of Samuel \" ood's lots on the 8th concession, now owned
by 111'. Dayi(l j[cDonald, to consider about purchasing a plot of
ground in which to bury our dead, and on which to erect a church in
which to worship God. Thu::;c south of the river overruled those
north of the river, and it was agreed to purchase two acres on the 4th
concession from 1\11'. Thomas :Kicholson: for the smn of $-10. This
is the site of the present Teeswater cemetery. At the bame meeting
some one inquired if there was no one present who knew of any
minister whom they knew who could be written to and asked to give
us a sermon or two, as we werf> getting hungry, not haying llf>ard a
serlllon for nine or ten months. Alex. Graham, who lived on the
10th concf'ssion, where the Henderson family now lives, said he would
write to Hev. .J ohn B. 1V[owat. of Niagara. who came in September of
the same year, 1855, and preached in )fr. Gibson's shanty, that being
the only place at the time where a meeting could be held. This was
the first sermon preached in Teeswater by a Presbyterian minister
Aftpr this Rev. .J ohn Ros
, of Brucefield, preached a few times.
The
e two men advispd us not to put up the church on the 4th con-
l"t:>
sion, but to put it .where the vilhlge was likely to he. In the spring
of ]856 James Reid put up his fir:st house, expecting his mother and
brother from the province of Quebec, but as they did not come he
lived on in his old shanty, and his house was used as a church during
the SUnllllPrs of 1856 and 1851. The Presbytery of T
ondon, of which
Rev. John Scott was moderator, sent up a preacher now and then
during these years to keep us alive until better times came.
\mong
those who visited us then were \Yil1iam Clark, who .was an elder and
catechist; Rev. Donald 1IcI.ean, who waR for a time stationed at
)lount Forest, and Rev. John :l\fcM:illan, of Fingal, who was after-
warò
also many years in l\Iount Forest. In October, 1857, the Pres-
PRESBYTERI _\NS
359
Lytery ,.;put up Hev. Alex. ï oung and .Mr. ;::;utherland, two powertul
preachers of the Gospel, and the::;e two dispensed the sacrament of the
Lorù"::; :::;upper for the first time in Culross. .Mr. \oung preached in
English in the housc, and
Ir. ;:;utherland in Gaelic in the barn.
Thi::; solemn feast was oLserved in the good old way-four days
preadlÎng-on Thur::;Jay, :::;aturday,
unday and )Ionday, the last
Leing a day for the giving of thanks. On Thursday it was found
nel:e:O:::i3ry to have elders appointed for the ;::;abbath 6ervices, so the
ministers asked )lr. Gibson whom he would recommend. After some
consideration he named .r ohn
h:Donald and Hugh
IcVonald, both
from the
th concession, and Hector )IcKay, the eatechist, who lived
011 the t th concession, where rrhomas Ho::;s now Ii \ c::;. The last-named
preaeheJ. in Gaelic to the people living in the region known as the
\lps. In tho::;c days there \H1S a much clearer line between the church
and the world thall there is at present. )Iany of us now ask, 'V here
i
the church tor which our for('father
died. rrhe 5abbath at
l're
ent ha, be('omp a day of busine::::s, pJea
llrf' anù toil rather than a
day of worship. During the times of the
c cummunion services in the
early fla}s .J<lJ1ll'S Hcid, then a badlelor living in his
hanty. lllade
the Illillistrr'
ùinner for them. )1 r:o:. G ih50n'
shauty was the manse,
.1nd shc hung up a carpet across the room to make a bedroom for the
ministers. The shanty wa::: covered with elm bark. One night a
:'('\\'1'(' rnill:o:torlll ('alll(, IIp and \Jr. r.i"
on had to put an ul1lurel1a
O\er thp lllinister
to keep them dry. COlllpare that manse with the
pr(,::ient one. Litt1p do thc ministers of thl' present day know about
till' difficulties of the pioneer church. )r r. alHi )[rs. Gibson were very
kil1tl to a11 t11{' ministers in tJlO
f' early rlnys. anrl their house was
111;1/1" the preacher's home. rrhry prohahly dirl more for the church
in thos(' early days than any ot11C'r P('f:O:OJ1S in rulro
. The
round
on which }\no\. Chureh
tmills was n gift from him. and yet his name
apppars in no pla(.(' in the ehnrl'h recorcls. Tn the \\ int.'1" of 1857-
1 s58 the Presbytpry f:pnt up TIev. .T onn )fcKay to U
. \n uncle of
his. the Rev. A. 'r('Ka
'. of Lu('know. was also with us for three
lIIonths, and boarùed with 'fl'. Reid. Rdorf' hp left in the fo11owing
spring- the contrnct of the fir
t Preshyterian Chur('h in Tf'Pswater was
Jf't to a man namf'd "p
tm'er. who livprl on thC' 12th C'oneession of
Culross. The church was not completed until lR62. Tn that same
summer the congreg-ation f'xu-nrled a raIl to Rev. Aòam McKay. and
he wa
ordainf'ò ancl inòuC'trrl into the charge. He was th
first
r('.!!ularly settle(l Pres'hytprÎan ministrr in rrpeswater or Cu1ross. Pre-
360
GILLIES AND MARTIN
viou::i to this time, in the faU of 1856, Rev. John ::.;cott, of London,
preached in :Mr. P. ß. Brown's grist-mill, before the machinery was
put in, and on the following Monday he baptized sixteen children."
The Church of England congregation worship in a brick edifice
erected in 1875, the cost of which was about $2,300. The Baptists
had their church built in 1876. The Roman Catholic Church was
dedicated by the Bishop of Hamilton, September 15th, 1878. In the
following July a bell, which had been imported from Baltimore, was
hung in the steeple, and has rung out its calls to worship since. Rev.
Father Corcoran has been in charge of this congregation for over a
quarter of a century.
For many years one of the leading, if not the leading industry, of
the village was the foundry and agricultural implement works of
Messrs. Gillies & Martin. The business was established in 1869 by
James Fraser.
hortly after commencing business Archibald Gillies
was admitted into partnership. In April, 1878, :Mr. Fraser retired,
and his place in the firm was taken by J ames
Iartin. rrhe OTiginal
firm had met a serious loss by fire, which occurred November lth,
1877. The loss was estimated at the time to be about $20,000, but the
buildings destroyed were soon rebuilt and in an enlarged form. In
May, 1892, the firm extended its capacity by opening up a braneh at
Listowel, where they erected some fine buildings. The agricultural
implements manufactured by this firm have a wide market throughout
the Dominion.
The first medical men to settle at Teeewater are said to have l.een
Dr. John F. Halstead and Dr. James :Uurphy. The stay of neither
was of any length. Dr. .r ohn Gillips, one of the leading men
of the village for over a third of a century, came to Teeswater in
August, 1867. Having acquired a large practice he accumulated
money and established a private bank, which was for years the sole
financial institution of the village. This business he disposed of to
the
oyprpign Rank not long hefore his death. Dr. Gi11ie
"a
the
village treasurer for many years. His death occurred _\.ugust 1 :>th,
U>05.
Another honorable citizen of Tepswater now passed away was
. W. R. Thomson. He commenced business there about the end of the
seventies as a cooper. Possessing a keen business instinct and nbun-
dance of energy, he developed a large lumber manufacturing business,
exporting largely to England of his products.
The name of S. R. Brill is one largely known in the dairy world,
THE PRESS
361
the l:reamery he established at Teeswater being one of the first, ü
not the first, in the county.
L. A. Brink, the present postmaster, has been prominently con-
nected with Teeswater for the last thirty years, filling the office of
reeve and county commissioner, and has been called upon to fill other
re5ponsible positions by his fellow-citizens. As a produce merchant
he had done much to make Teeswater a good grain market.
'rhe Teeswater News, the local paper of the village and township,
was first issued in 1874, G. rr. Hagyard being the publisher and
editor. Since that date it has passed through the hands of Thomas
Fairbairn, A. G. Stewart, A. Colwell, Alex. Butchart, and at present
i5 under the editorship of A. D. ltlcKenzie.
In the fall of 1901 an effort was made by those owning lands
within the village, used solely for farming purposes (which amounted
to 187 acres), to have the same detached from the village and attached
to the township. R. E. Little and Charles Thomson supported the
petition brought before the County Council. This body passed the
required by-law, which, however, the arbitrators pointed out, was void,
as the lands to be detached reduced the area of the vi1lag-e below that
specified by statute.
Like many villages in this section of the province, Teeswater has
felt the. repressive effect of a railway monopoly, and hopes for 8 future
when it may enjoy the privilege of competitive railways, and thereby
brin
an era of prosperity and progres8 to the villag-e.
CHAPTER XXVII.
TOWXSHIP OF ELDERSLIE.l
.EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF COUKTY VALUATORS. lðïfl.
" This township has a large amount of heavy day land, with portions
low and wet, also a considerahle amount of swamp. A portion of the town-
ship is broken up by the Saugeen River. The largest amount of good
land commences at the south-east ..-orner and rqns north-west nntil it
strikes the township of :::;allgeen. It is very well watered and has a large
amount of mill property. Its average price is $
R.33."
EXTRACT }<'RUM THE REPORT OF ('ou:r-:T\." Y ALUATORS, Hìlll.
" Elderslie is a fair average township, with very little, if an
., waste
laud. It is wen water
d; good buildings and orchards are the rule. There
are three railway Htations in the township, namely, Paisl
y, Chesley and
Dobbinton. The large swamp in the centre of the township is being cleared
up and it will not bè long until it all becomes good grazing land-. T.nërè
are a few stiff claJ" secÜons that take down the average somewhat, and
we might say is the only serious drawback to the township. The .Saugeen
River breaks a por_
ion of the township towards the
"ôuth-west, as also
do.es
j,he .T_
w.ater, River. The rate lier acre for this township is $3
.'jO;
or thi's a1110ùkt Hie village" prOli
rt.Y i6 equal tó 3-:1: cents pel" aere.
El derslie..L e ceíve <L"i f:õ flr:õt
et !lerR on \pril 18th, 1851. when
:-;imon ùr
hard an<l hi
family, after fl oat i
'_ d
n
aug
n
Riyer on a raft from 'Valkert.on, landed where the village of Paisley
now stands. Three" eeks later Samuel T. Rowe, with his family, fol-
lowed his old friend in the yentllresome yoyage down the :-'augeen
and settled alongside of him. As the circum
tances connected with
the settlement of theRe two pioneers of the township are given pretty
freely in Chapters Y. and X.XIX., the fad of their scttlement at this
early date is here only mentioned. The lands in the south-western
part of the township were the first to receive their quota of f:cttlers.
This was owing to the faciJity of access afforded by the Saugeen
Riyer, which permitted them to :float down its waters on rafts, therehy
conveying them, their families and effects from the yicinih- of either
Hanover or V\T alkerton.
!Named after Seotland's patriot. Sir "'illiam Wallace, Knight of
Elderslie.
362
SETfLEMENT AT LOCKERBY
365
The survey of this township was performed by G. 1IcPhilips dur-
ing the summer of 1851. Elderslie was classed among the school
lands of the province, and was opened for sale on July 30th, 1852. 1
The first person who is entered in the books of the Crown Land
Office as a purchaser of lands in Elderslie was John Fraser, for lot
34, concession A, the date being December 6th, 1852.
The first to follow :Messrs. Orchard and Howe in taking up lands
in the township were David Lyons and Thomas Hembroff, who settled
on the north branch of the Saugeen River at that point afterward8 to
be known as I
ockerby. In a footnote 2 is given an account of their
settlement, condensed from a narrative published in the Paisley
Advocate in 1896. 'The house which Thomas HembrofÏ put up on
lot 2, concession 'I, is said to be still standing and to be in good con-
dit.ion, being the oldest house extant in the township of Elderslie. By
the end of 1851 four log shanties had been built in Elderslie, but
only the families of Orchard and Rowe spent the winter there. The
next addition to the group of pioneer families settled in Elderslie
was possibly made by the arrival of Henry Brown. The story of his
settlement and also of the early days of Elderslie, appeared in the
"Souvenir Number of the Chesley Enterprise:' published at Chriat-
IS ee Appendix J.
2David Lyons and Thomas Hemùroff learned of the excellent prospects
for settlers in Elderslie through a brother of the last named, who had been
engaged with the survey party under Mr. McPhilips. These two men
lost no time after the survey was completed in selecting a point at which
to settle. They were at that time residing at Chatsworth, in the neigh-
boring county. One morning in October, 1851, saw them leaving home
loaded with necessaries for a stay in the bush. Travelling south they at
length reached the north branch of the Saugeen River; following it, partly
on foot and partly by canoe, they arrived at the county line. Owing to
the amount of driftwood met with in the rivf>r there they had to pursue
the rest of their journey altogether on foot, following the course of the
river. Being satisfied with the location where tile sixth concession crosses
the north branch of the Saugeen River, they, after doing enough work to secure
for themselves a squatter's claim, returned home, to return ill the fol1owing
month with necessary supplies. The families and effects of these men were
brought into the bush in May of the following year. The first stage was by
team from Chatsworth to Hanover. There a raft, 12 x 30 feet, was con-
structed, and on it the families and their belongings were placed. It
took two days to complete the voyage. A shanty, about sixteen feet square,
was put up that summer, in which both families Jived. \bout a year and
a half later Mr. Lyons again placed his famil." on a raft and floated down
to Southampton, where he engaged in saw-milJing. PnfortnnateJy he was
burned out, when lJe then returned to Eldcrslie. The first shanty these
men erp('t
d was utilized as a schoolh
use, the first in thf' township, the
teacher bplDg MrR. Thomas P('arc{', 11. RtRter of the present township clerk,
.T. f". ){('Intyre.
36U
HENRY BROWN
mas, 190i. By permission of the editor, an extract from Henry
Brown's narrative is here given:
.. In the early fall of 185
the '\Titer {Henry -!irown) and a
young lllall named Hobert Cochrane walked from Durham to visit
their old neighbors, Howe and Orchard, and see the much praised
11e\\ countr}. 'Yith Simon Orduud as pioneer guide we located
lots 1, 2 and 3 on the 2nd and 3rd concessions, went home and
returned in X oyemher to takt:' possession. Haying got our outfit
to \ValkertoIL(at that time containing two stores and a post-office),
we made the usual raft and started down stream. That wa
50
years ago, but the mem;rÿ õf that voyage-;till lives fresh in my
mind. The river was very low; neither of us had ever been on a
raft in our lives before or knew how to handle one. We got stuck
on bal\
and fast on stones, and there was nothing for it but to jump
into the water and pry the raft clear. Xight found us about the
4th concession of Brant, soaked in ice cold water to the armpits.
Our matches had got wet in our pockets, but luckily our powder
was dry, so with the gun and some batting from a corner of a quilt
we soon started a fire and dried ourselves, made a bed of brush and
each of us rolled in a blankpt. \V e w
nt to sleep and awaken('(l in
the morning with six inC'hes of snow on top of us. Next day we
had better luck, and struck Deer Rapids (so called by the surveyors
from the number of deer seen standing in the water to protect them-
selves from the flies). By good chance we found the blaze and got
to Rowe's at dark, two tired and hungry men. N ext day, with the
help of Rowe and Orchard, we raised our shanty, 12 by 14, floored
it with split basswood, and roofed it with scoops. This, to the best
of my knowledge. was the fifth shanty in Elderslie. Shortly after
Cochrane went home and I stayed till midwinter and did my first
chopping. \Y olves were plentiful. One night when getting in my
wood a pack eame hunting up the river. They killed a deer a few
yards from the shanty and kept howling around all night. In the
morning I went and looked at the place. Some bloody snow, a few
tufts of hair, and scraps of none wa.s all that was left of the' deer.
On the whole it was a pleasant two months: with a few good books
thl' solitude had no terrors for me.
"In 18f)
the Clement
anc1 others from Holland came and
ettled
on the 10th ann 11th concessions, and :Ur. Green, Wm. :McBride and
the McCartneys from Esquesing settled on concessions ' _\.' and 'B,'
south of Paisley. The c:ame year the Gillies family had located a
large block on the 6th and 7th concessions, soon followe(l by the
Taylors, Blues and other old neighbors from Argyleshire. On the
8th and 9th concessions the :McDongalds, l\f(' X eil
. Galbraiths, :Munns,
EARL Y SETTLERS
367
Currie
and a whole colony of natiH
::; of the i:;laml of Cololl:-ay
sl'ttled dear do
n to the .Elora roaù. rrhus we see that the Scottish
element figureù largely in the early settlement of .Elderslie. 1 have
before me the collector's roll for the year 185-1: (issued from Arran,
to which we were attached), which unfortunately is the only one of
the early record::; to be founù. On it arc G5 name::, and of thé::,c 26
haye the prcth. ..
lac;' 11 being
lcSeil:5, and many other:; spoke
the Gaelic. The collector was an Arran man. There was no assess-
ment, the names e\ idently being copied from the agent's book. No
as:5I'
sor coul(l ha\"e found his way through Elderslie in the spring
of t}Hlt year. There wa
nothing but the :;uneyor's blaze to guide
.you, and if you lost that you \\ ere, too, as lllany a one found to his
:,orrow. The roll wa
mdcle out in llalifilx currency and the tax
Wil:; In :;hiUing:::: .and () pence (equal to $2.10) for eyery 200 ë.lere:;,
and $1.05 for e\ery one hunùred acre:5, e\"ery lot being the same
,alue. This roll \\ as returned to the treasurer of Arrall on 23rd of
J nue, 1
56. with " not paid" marked against one-half of the names.
.. In It'Ì3
[r. Row{' built a commodious tavern of ht'wedJQg
on
the
ite where the Central Hotel now f:tands, which ga\Te ample
a,'commo(lation to the rapidly increa:-;in
travel, and
[r. Valentine
hall g"lIt his sawmill running, which enabled the settlers to erect
lid tpr huilding
. j 11 IH5! the great ru:-::h began. Early in the
season the )[cBeaths arrived find Jocated the lands on the east side
of the ri\ er. whieh t}W}
till ou.upy.
\t the
ame time
Lr. D. Porter
nrrÍ\'ed from PetC'rboro'. He took up eight lots, and on his return home
,.:tarteÒ the great rush of Peterhoro' men, the )lcDonalùs,
lc(jrf'gor8,
Halfour
. )f('Laggan
. Lillicu..:. Fortunes and others, who settled on
the bt, td and :
rd conC'ession
. :Mr. Porter's old friend, Andrew
I )ohbill. folio\\ ed ana took up 1.000 acres arounù where Dobbinton
no\\
tan(h;. The
an1P year ThOJllib Orehard built thl' first :-tore
(JlO\\ ocrupjpl1 by It :"kntt,
eedsman) and opl'neù out a gcnpral
tl)('k of har,lware, (1ry g()od
, grocerief:. etc. That fall the great
lan(l :",.1(' at
outhalllpton took place, Rnù in the rush l'Vl'f) lot was
tAken up.
o great was tl1(' numh{'r of tho:,e \\ ho passed through
Pai
l('\- to .lt1cllfl tIll' land ,nle that in two da\'s
\frs. Hilwe cooked
,lllil
;'rvell thl' (.al'("n::::, of an m., while 'fro Rowe attenòed to th{:
liqllid portion of tIll' husinp!"f:. Two largC' sugar kett1e
. one with bepf
and thp othC'r with rotatoe
. werl' kept hoiling all thp tinw. Tt was
a great strain on thp resources of the Paisley of that day, but as Rowe
hacl a good
to('I.. \If C'att1p anò a fh'lò of potatoe:; it was silllply a
IJ1l1':::tion of killing ami rligging. B
' what deviee the liqlli,l
toek
lwlò out has alway
hpen a 11I001C'(1 <}lJe
tion:'
Promin{'nt among th()i;;l' wno settled in "Elderslie in 185::J, but
368
NEIL MC
omitted in the list giyen by Henry Brown in the foregoing ð.traet,
were Donald Me In tyre. for four years reeve of the towfu;hip, and
A lexander Elves , a member at one time of the Township Council, now
a resident of Paisley, an d Hu
h McDoug-ald (lately removed to Owen
Sound), who took up land in Elderslie iIÌ 1853. At that time he
was but eighteen years of age.
ufficient work to establish his claim
to the lot was all he did at first. His actual settlement dates from
1856.
\..t the age of sixteen he worked for his uncle, Donald Currie,
in ;:,augeen. He relates that while there he on one occasion went to
Southampton for a supply of flour, which he purchased of James
Calder. Shouldering his load, he followed the blazed path through
what is now the village of Port Elgin. Halting at .. Lochboie "
:McLean's tavern to rest he met Peter
mith, who noticed that the
load was too much for the lad, so good-heartedly he shouldered it
himself, in addition to his own similar load. Of the crop of wheat
)lr. 'IcDougald grew in 1858 he sold enough at 50 cents a bushel to
pay that year's taxes, holding the rest until 1859 (" starvation year "),
when he obtained $2 a bushel for it. :Mr. McDougald for seven years
held the position of deputy reeve of Elderslie. Another prominent
man was John McDonald, who, as councillor and reeve, sat in the
Township Council for nineteen years. It was in April, 1855 that he
took up his lot, No. 34, concession '(. His son William, publisher of
the Chesley Enterprise
has followed his father in obtaining municipal
honors, and was warden of the county in 1905. This list of early
settlers we close with an example of fortitude in enduring the hard-
:,hip
of dearing a farm in the hackwoods. X eil :\h1l1n, in 1855,
moved with his wife and family from Esquesing to Eldel'slie. Upon
arriving at Paisley their trials began. There was no bridge over the
Saugeen, and they had to cross the river at Rae's, to take the round-
about way to their land on the 6th concession. One of the horses of
the team they had engaged to bring them and their effects up from
Erin village broke its leg at the" Hog's Back," ,,-hile near the enù of
th(.il' jonrn('y. }t'Ì their progress was ycry much ,h'layed 1JY thè acei-
dent, and the final stage rendered yery laborious. 1\1rs. )Iunn was
obliged to carry her young son all the way in her arms. From the
time of reaching their new home until 1860 Mr. ann
Irs. '\funn
steadily and patiently applied themselves to the duties of r.learing
their farm and rearing the little family growing up around them,
but in that year a heavy stroke of affliction fen upon the household
when
1r. -:\1 unn was paralyzed by a tree falling upon hÜ: hack while
FLORA ROAD DEVIATION
369
working in the bush. He survived the accident for fourteen years, but
was a bedfast cripple until he died in 1814.
Irs. )Iunn bravely and
successfully shouldered the responsibility of carrying on the farm
and supportmg the family after the accident, battling with Christian
fortitude against great odds until relie, eù by the assistance of her
growing sons.
At the time the piollepr settlers of Eldcrslie entered that township
there was no road nearer it than the Hurham road, running ea.s;t
and west through the southerly part of Brant. in the
ummer of
1::;31 (a
llott-d ill ( hal'ter \'.) the ('ro\\n Lë1lHl::- otlil"er
asked for
tenders to cut a road, which they called the Durham and
outhampton
HmH1. through to the houndary of Elderslie. \
ery little more work to
improve the roads was done until 1
54, when the Bureau of Agricul-
turp. which had assumed the duty of seeing after the construction of
colonization roads. proposed a scheme, alluded to in Chapter V.,
which would give ":Eldprslie the Elora l:{oaù anù one along its southerly
boundary. The Elora Hoad, as originally plauned, enterpd the county
at its south-east corner, and passed diagonal1y through Carrick to
the corner where the four townships of Carrick, Culro5s, Brant and
Grecnock. join, thence northerly along the houndary hetween the
townr;;hips of Brant ann. Greenock, Elderslie and "augeen. Tl1e sur-
veyors \\ho laid out Brant and Elderslie must haye n'ported to the
departnu>nt the difficulties of eonstructing a road on the boundary
of the townships near the point where the f)'eeswater and the Saugeen
unite. Thcse views being accepted by the department, .T. R. Price,
rOll1missioner of Crown Lands, wrotp to George )[('Philips while he
\\as engaged in makillf!' the survey of .Elderslie, undcr date of .July
14th, lR51, as follow
: "PrpviouR to surveying the river, mark out a
linp for a road from tlH' rear of Rrant to the
augeen River in Elder-
slie, in thl' general dirpdion markl'd in red on the accompanying
skptcl1, selecting the nest site for bridges over the ,[ ud River and
Rivcr Saugeen, and making the n('c('s
ary sinuosities to avoid hills and
"'nmp
. The line is not to he thl' houndar)" of th,. lots. but you will
(lpdnd the area of a rond, on(' chain in width, from the C'ontents of
the loh
it passes over." Almost simu1t<lnconsly with this letter
(jporgp .T A('kson. rrown Land Agl'nt At Durham, advertised for
tpnòprs to cut a road through TIrant a mifp nnd a qURrtpT east of the
intpnòf>ò ElorR. Road. hut in Iin(' with the road laiò 011t hy \11'.
){cPhilips aR above. ,Yhf>n the Bureau of Agri('u1turp took up the
conr;;trudion of colonization rOAds. ancl possihly unaware of thr F1ur-'
:
70
MUNICIP AL LIFE
,-eyor"s report, it announced the Elora Ruaù as per original plan. It
i
but a fair inference to :::iuppose that when David Gibson surveyed
it he saw the reasonableness of accepting the road alreaJy cut out,
\\ hich has since been known as the Elora Road.
The early municipal hfe of Elderslie is a blank until the y
ar
It')54. Prior to that year it was nominally a part of the municipality
of the united townships in the county of Bruce, as referred to at
length in Chapter 1 Y. In 1834 Eldprslie was united to Arran for
municipal purposes.! It was in this year the :first assessment of the
towll
hip was made, which, as equalized by the County (iouncil,
amounted to t
,03
. On t:;eptember 20th, 1855, the United Counties
Cmuwil passeù a by-law dissoh-ing the union of I
lderslie to Arran,
to come into effect on January 1st, 1856. Thomas Orchard was the
returning officer at the fir
t municipal C'lertion. The polling booth
was at Rowe's tayern, Pai
ley. The names of those elected as council-
101':0: were: George "
illiscroft. Charles Ginty, John Gillies, Robert
Fale-oner and S. T. Howe. These at their first meeting, as the law
wa
then, elected :s. T. Howe as reeve. George C. Urquhart was
appointed township derk; Thomas Orchard, township treasurer;
] )ollald 1Ielntyre and John HC'u<1erFon, auditori3, and Hugh
)( ('Dougald, and Samuel Scott, a
se
!'or... The total financial
l"\.penditurC' mane h
thi
Council for the year 1
56 was (ml.v fl07
1-1:-:. 1 l-'2d. In a footnote 2 are to he found the m1I1lC''' of the yarious
rl"e'e
of Eltlerslie.
\..n examination of \ppeDlli
:\f will enable the
reader to see tIle' relatiyc
tanding and dpyt'lopment of Rklerslie with
neighboring townships in their early days.
The )1 unicipal Council of Elderslie has during half a C'entury
guided the affairs of the township with a wise hand. Among other
matters, the drainage of tlw swamp in the (('ntre of the township
was w\C'ognized to be fI ll('c('ssity, so a
early as 187
dehC'ntures were
issued for anout $2.noo to prosecute this work. This was supple-
melltei1 in 188::J-R4 b
' two other issueR of debentures, one for $4,474
and the other for $2,100. "nen the Rtratford and Lake Huron Rail-
way al=;kpd for a bonus, the Council submitted to the ratepayers a
hy-Iaw authorizin
the j
ue of debentnreR for $45,000 to ain the pro-
]See Appendix F.
. :!
ames of thf' yarious 1'C('H'f; of Elf1el'slip: S. T. Rowe, 18;')6; .Tohn
Gillies, 1857 to 1873; Ar('hibald Ewart, 1874, '75, '76; Henry Brown, lS77,
'i8, '
5, '86, '87; George Thompson, 1879, '80, '81, '82, '
3, '84; Donald
::\[('Tntyre, 1888, '89, '90, '91; .Tames Shouldice, 1892, '93, '94, '9.'5, '96;
.Tohn )f('Donald, 1897, '98; D. "X. }\IcIlltyre, 1899, 1900; .Tames Clements,
1901, '02; Da,
id ){cBeath. 1903, 'O-l; George McKay, 1905, '06.
('HOOLS
371
ject,l whidl was carried by a majority of I I. In 18" 5 the to\\ nship
gave a muni
ipal C'pntre to the to\\ nship h}' the erection of a township
hall on lut 15, eonces:-;ion 6, at a cost of nearly $
,OUO. The Township
Council has been aideu in it:; efficiency by its officials, who deserve to
have their names remembered, for they ha\e done their part faithfully
in attending to the busilles
of the township. 'fheir names are given
in a footnote. 2 Elder:;lip plumes itself on having paid off all deben-
ture indebtedness, and also in that no licenses for the sale of liquor
are issued within the township.
The first school ill the township was openeù in Itl53 at Lockerby,
and 'nl
taught by )ri
:-- 'ldntyre (afterwards )Irs. Thomas Pearce).3
In l-<jli
li
Fah"ullI'r (afterward::; )Lr:,. Thoma::; Fleming) taught a
slllall :;
huol on Jut 11, ('o11('('!'sion 5. The following year the Township
Coune.il took al'tioll in regard to schools that can he
t be described by
an e:xtract from the report of Local Superintendent McNaughton, for
the year 1857, as follows: "The township of Elderslie has done
admirably in the way of school buildings during the past year.
Although the newest of three townships under my charge, it is now
the first with regard to school-houses. This may be attributed in a
great mea::;ure tu the wisdom of the 'l'ownship Council offering certain
sums of money to each :section, on condition that a schoolhouse be
PfPctt'Q within the y<,ar. The resnlt is there is not a :-;ingle section
without a schoolhouse." The staff of teacher::; ill the different school
sediol1<': in lR5"\ consisted of
ri
Eliza :5tcw<lrt, Paisley; ':\[r. )Iurray,
Chef:ley; .Archibald Ewart, S. S. No.6; Donalò Gillies. S. S. No.5;
J. C. )Iclntyre, K B. No.1; '[i
s .Jane Porter. K
. Xo. 2; 'Ialcolm
)hUlll, S. S. No. 10; James SaundNs, S. S.
o. 7.
\..1though to-day there is not \\ ithin the township of Elderslie an
unincorporated village of any pretf'll:,ions, it has nourished and wit-
ncssed the t;warming off of two of the busiec;t villages of the county,
1$10,000 of thi!'l was a sectional grant, (evictIon that part of the
township afterwards iDcorporatt'(l as the vilJagc of UIlt'slt'y.
2List of township treasurers an<1 clerks from 1856: Township treasurers
-Thos. Or('har<1, 1
.ïli- ';)9; Dr. S. D. Crawford, 181iO, 'Iìl; M. McMillan,
1862-'ô,j; Geo. C. Urquhart, IB6G-'7
; Wm. W. Hogg, 1873-1901; R M.
i';wart, HW2-1906. TO\\Dship clerks-George C. Urquhart, lS:ïô-'Gl; F.
Ff'atht'rstonhaugh, lSG7; P. n.
inc1air, 1
6S; Dani('1
in('lair, 1869-'71;
Ed. Hannd('rs, 1!-;í2; S.
hanllon. 1R73- '76; D. McT{f'clmie, 1877- '92; ,T. C.
:\[c T n tyre, 1893-] 9üô.
'Thommol !'pan.e was one of :\[1'. ::\lc Philips' chaillmen in tht' 8ur\"(') of
tht:' towllsh i 1'. 'Vh(,11 11I:1 rried. in 18.16, to :\[i
s :\f dntyre, the
'/Jung couple
walked all the way to Southampton so that tIlt' ('premollY might be
I'prforlJ\('d h
a Prl'sh
tt'rian ('It'r
.\ mall.
372
GEORGE JARDINE
Chesley and Paisley. The development of these two villages sealed
the hopes and fate of two other places that were sanguine of becoming
in time the trade centres of their respective localities, namely, Lock-
erby and Scone. The settlement at Lockerby by Thomas Hembroff is
mentioned in the :first part of the chapter. The water-power at this
point was early made use of, and a grist mill was in operation there
about 1856, within a short time of that at Paisley. A little earlier
than this a rumor spread that the Elora Road, about to be openel1 up,
was to he brought up the side line at lot 5 as far as the 6th conces-
sion, then to turn west to the township boundary,! passing through
Lockerby. At the time the grist mill was built George Jardine had
portions of adjoining farm lots surveyed into village lots. Plans of
this survey were scattered far and wide, and every effort made to
boom this town on paper into tangible being, even going as far a!' the
holding of a sale of lots at Hamilton. All Mr. Jardine's efforts were
fruitless. the Elora Road was cut so as to pass through Paisley,
and Lockerby never developed. In 1866 Jardine and Hembroff were
engaged in a lawsuit as to the ownership of the mill and adjacent
property. .J ardine, thinking that if he were in possession of the mill
his claim would be more firmly establishpd, one day in. the fall of 1866
went to it when no one was about, pried open one end of a board and
sought to enter through the opening. In some way he failed to keep
the boards apart, and they coming together, he was cauf!ht like a
mouse in a trap, and, unable either to extricate himself or to make
himself heard, was held until death rplieved him from his sufferings.
The water-power at Lockerby is now made use of by Donald
1:clntyre
to supply electric current for lighting purposes to Paisley.
Scone began to take form and put on the appearance of a village
before Chesley-ultimately its successful rival-was thought of, The
founder of the village, Thomas Bearman, came to Elderslie in 1854.
Being possessed of means, he purchasen ahout seventeen hundred
acres of land in Eldel'slie and Sullivan, started a sawmill about 1856,
a grist mill some years later, and also a potash factory, and opened a
store. In 1858 a post-office, bearing the name of Scone, was opened.
Thomas ..:\.dair (who owner1 the most north-easterly lot in Brant), was
the first postmaster, but he soon left the locality, and the post-office
was moved to the house of Thomas Bearman, his successor. The little
IThere may have been something in the rumor, as the engineer in
charge of opening the Elora Road purchased lots 16 aud 17, concession
B, and lot 16, concession " A" (where the road would make the turn).
Presumably he bought on speculation.
POPULATlO:S DECREA
ING
373
village flourished until, overtopped by the growth of Chesley, all hopes
for its development vanisheù.
One of the most noted men Elderslie has had was John Gillies,
who for seventeen years was reeve of the township. His portrait,
with a biographical sketch, are to be found in Chapter VI.
Owing to the large emigration to the North-West provinces,
Elderslie has suffered marked loss in population. In 1881 the census
returll
howed Elderslie to have 3,273 inhabitants. The assessor's
return for 1906 gives a population of 2,018, less than 62 per cent. of
what it was a quarter of a century pre,-ious. This but illustrates what
has been going on all through the county. The youth of its popula-
tion is moving to the ""est to establish homes for themselves there.
CHAPTE,R XXVIII.
TOWN OF CHESLEY.!
rfHE greater part of the lands situated in the vicinit)" of what is
now Chesley were taken up in 1854, but not settled upon until the
following year. In the early spring of 1855 the brothers, John,
Alexander and Peter )1(. Laggan settlefl oulots 30 and 31 in the third
concession, and the same summer John and Archibald
{cDonald on
lots 29, 30 and 31 on the second concession of Elderslie. On these
farm lot
the major part of the town of Chesley now stanùs.
Very little progress had been made in the way of clearing the
land when, in lS5R.
\.. S. Elliot 2 purchased lots 30 and 31 on the
second concession from Archibald McDonald, and he with his sons
began to make preparation to develop the water power of the river
flowing hy anù to en>d mills. In 185U they had a sawmill started,
and in 1
60 a small grist mill was in operation. In 1865 a few
building lots of a quarter acre each, situated on each side of the
side road, were sold on the easy terms of twenty dollars apiece. con-
ditional upon immediate occupation, which condition secureù the
commencement of the village. In 18116 the population of Chesley
t;ollsisteLl uf the fullo\\ iug nanwd and their famil ies : Â.;:;. Elliot,
miller: .T. H. Elliot, ston'keeper: .101m Cameron and 'Villiam Ross,
IThe name Chesley was given to the post-office '" ithout an.' regard
to the wishes of the people of the locality being shown by the Post
Office authorities. Solomon ClH'sley an erstwhile official in tlw Indian Offi('e,
is he whose name is "resPITed in the name of the "i11age.
2Adam Scott Elliot, the founder of Chesley, was a nativf' of Ho" ick,
Scotland. He was but nint' years of age when his parents emigrêl.ted to
Canada in lSl f i, alol1g with their family, and settled in tlw count
. of
Lanark. In carl.'- manhood }w ellgnged in farming and milling. As early
as lR.J3 hf' ,isit{'d the count.v of Grey .with the thought of settling there,
hut did not carr
" ont the idf'a until 18.36, wl1f'n he purchased propcrt.'- in
Sullivan towllship and huilt tlH're a saw and gl"ist mill. rn 1Rfí8 he
pUf(.hasl'a thl' land whieh forms part of the pl'esent site of th(' ,-illagf'
of ('hesh'y. In 1 S(it\ he sola out his Chesley business to his son, .10hn H.,
and movëd to \\ïlliamsford, in the count)' of Gre
'. In later years he
reh11'ned to Chesley, .where he passed awa
-, .Tuly 3rd, lS99, in his ninety-
second year. He ,,-as married to .J anet Halliday, and haa a family of
ten children. Active and enterprising, hI' was a successful -business man.
In religion a staunch Presbyterian of the old school; kindly of heart, he
did much good. C'h('sley has eyeQ" reason to be prour1 of thl' man who
was its founòer.
374
J. H, ELLIOT
375
storekeepers; J Ohll Dobbie, blacksmith ; John t;hea, shoemaker, and
)lartin Schruder. A census taken the following year gives the popu-
lation as but sixty persons. rrhe little village made but slow growth
at first.
\. plan of the survey of village lots made in the summer of
]8ü
shO\\s only tel] hOI1
(,
Oil tilt' \\(':4 sidl' of
[ain Street, three on
the east side, and seven other houses scattered about, making t
enty
in all'-besides the saw and grist mill. :::;uch wa
the e.Üent of deyelop-
ment attained by Che:;ley ten years after its beginning, It was in
] S(j,-; that ,T ohn 1-1. Ell inti pUI'('hasNl his father':; property at Chl'
ley
l.r. H. Elliot was born at Smith's Falls, Lanark County, in 1836. He
moved, with his parents, to near Chatsworth. wher!' they established wh:lt
was known as Sullivan
IilIs, and in 18':;
came with his father to Eldersli{'
and laid the foundation of Chesley. They started a sawmill and grist-
mill, and Mr. J. H. Elliot soon became famed far and near as a first-cIa!'::">
miller. He also started the first store in Chesley. When 1Ir. Elliot
surve."ed his lands into village lots he did not reser
e evcry other one for
himself, as a selfis.hly-inclined man would have done, but sold th('m at $
tJ
each, and gave buyers as long as they chose to pay for them. The 30th
side-road was at that time in an almost impassahle condition, and to tIle
impro\ ement of this road :\lr. Elliot de\'oted his attention, ;wd to him
more than to any other man is due the credit of transforming the fore
t
road, through frog pond and boggy ground, into a highwa.,' which to-dB:'-
is one of the leading roads of the county. At this time all goods had to
be teamed from Paisley to Chesley, and 8S this ga\'e th(' bnsim.ss ml'll of
the former town a decided advantage o\'pr Chesley merchánts, the l'OUl-
merC'ial life of this place was threatened. :\[r. Blliot S8\\ the crisis, anf!
when the opportullity arose he threw his whole en erg." into the railway
projeC't and was a leader in the strngglf' to have th{' J.,:lke Erie anfl
G('orgian Bay dh-ision of the G. 'l'. H. cOI1-;truch'd from
tratford to
Wiarton. .1. H. Blliot assisted a gn.at m
ny men in their busiIlt's<.;
venture::., and t!wr,' wns sl'arcely a bnsinl'ss mau in the village, t'sl'eC'iall:,-
in thf' early days, who wa
not indebted to him for nssist:lJlI't' rendl'red,
)fr. Elliot not only elH:ouraged others to Heet huilòings. hut h(' built
many himself. '['wo grist-miJIs, OIlt' of \\ hiC'h is tIlP presl'nt large mill.
two sawmills, and scores of housl's \n're built at his exp('nse and under
his personal supprvision. J[p \\:18 one of tll(' 1'0Jllpan:y that huilt the town
hall, took shares in and strongly advocatl'd the erection of thp C'lulÎr
factory_ ami was a JeaùiIlg spirit alliOIlJ,! those who t'Il,'ollragt'd the
locating of the furniture f:u.tory tlH're. It would be impossibll' to givl'
in detail the industries that he assisted in Chl'
lpy, suffice it to Sa'" that
what,'vt'r was for the advancement of Cheslev \fr. .T. H. Elliot' could
ah\a)"8 b' countpd on to give it his acti". sUPI
ort. His private int('r(\,<.;t8
were a se<,()ndary consideration where the welfare of the village was
concernl'd. It is not surprising that olle who had Ll>('n su<,h a puhlie
b('n('Ía<'tor should hoW a warm pla('1' in thp hearts of the }1I'ople. Befort.>
this village was incorporated hI' had been elpcted deput.\' reen' of El(lerslip."
and when Chesley was incorporated as a village, in 1879. 11t' \\ as plp('Ìl'd
hy acclamation as the first reeve, at the ell'l'tions in .January of the
following year. H,> occupied this position for cleven years, nnd bt'fort>
retiring was honored hy his fellow connt) C'ounciIlor
II." lwing eh()qcn warùen
of BruC'e Count.'.
r. "Elliot carried on for eightl'pn ."ears a private' hank
)l{'rf'". known as .T. n. Elliot &, Co. Xor "as it only in material prosl'l'rit)-
.J. H. )':lliot was anxious to s('e this villagl' progress; everything that
tt'nded to thp moral and rI'IigioH!
life of th(' .>ommunih' h:l(l his a<'ti\"('
sympath:,' and support. Mr. Elliot's (')111 ('amp 'fay lIth, 1901. If(' was
376
CHESLEY IN 1870
and proceeded to have a survey made of village lots. It was in the
same year that a post-office was opened in the village with Mark
}lcManus as postmaster. Up to this time all mail matter was
obtained at Scone, and Sconeville was the name Chesley was known
by.
A resident of Chesley writing about the village in the winter of
1
.0-1, said: ., \r e have got one of the best oatmeal and flour mills
in the ('ounty, m'llll'd by )1 r. Elliot. a cabinet factory, a shingle
factory, three first-class general stores, two blacksmith shops, two
waggon shops, two first-class hotels, kept by Messrs. McGaw and
Adams, two cooper shops, one shoe shop, a tannery, a limekiln, and
last but not least a skilful and obliging physician in the person of
Dr, George Cooke,l .N or are the intellectual wants of the people
neglected, not hy wa
' of preaching, however, for sermons in Chesley
art> like angel's visits, few and far between, but by way of lectures
under the auspices of the Chesley Literary Association," In October,
1875, another resident, in describing the village, after reporting the
above-mentioned industries, increased somewhat in number, adds to
the list a pottery, a brickyard, a sash and door factory, and a woollen
mill operated hy T.
l. Chase. Ill' mention:-: two churches-the
Canada Presbyterian, with the Rev. John Bethune as pastor; the
other a Baptist church, then without a pastor. " We have about five
hundred inhabitants, but have no school-house," he adds, in closing.
IÞ
.
Imrviveù hv his widow anù fin> tl:tughters. 'fhf' funeral was large and
rl'presentaÚn', hoth town al1(l l'oulltr
; people heing anxious to show the
last mark of respect to one broad in sympathy and strong in faith, whose
aim was to promote the glory of God and the good of man, The village
council, on the ocrasion of Mr. Elliot's decease, passed the following
resolution: "Resolved, that thiR council feels impelled to express its
profound }'egret at the death of :Mr. John Halliday Elliot, who, in company
with his fathN, laid down the foundation of this village, and to whose
fostering care, perhaps more than to- any other man, is due the credit of its
present prosperity. We know that in its early struggle for existence he
was the principal, if not the only, promoter of its business enterprises, and
at every stage of its growth he was its most constant friend. He was at
all times most anxious to rentler assistance to all proper schemes for
promoting its welfare, and he has left us a noble example in the many
sacrifices he made to improve the material condition as well as the mental
and moral welfare of the residents of this village. In him the business
men have lost a wise and prudent adviser and the poor a generous friend."
-Chesley Enterprise.
IDr. Geo. Cooke, a native of Cookstown, Simcoe County, settled in
Chesley in 1866, and was for many years one of its prominent citizens.
During the years 1887 and 1888 he was reeve of the village. Dr. Cooke
continued the pract!ce of medicine at Chesley for a third of a century,
when, owing to failing health, he removed to Toronto. His end came in
December, 1903.
INCORPORATED
277
The village from the time mentioned in the last paragraph made
rapid progress. The prospect of a railwa.Y being run through to the
Georgian Bay gave a feeling of security to all efforts made to develop
the place. It was on SeptembeI'" 3rd, 1H81, that the first locomotive
reached Chesley. In a week from that date the first shipment of
freight by rail was made. For some months aft.er this Chesley wa
the most northerly station on the line, making it indeed a bus)" little
place.
The prosperity and development mentioned in the previous para-
graph led to the taking of steps necessary for the incorporation of
the village. On a census being taken the population of the village was
found to be nine hundred and five. On this being represented, along
with a petition, to the County Council, it passed, December 12th,
1879, the necessary by-law of incorporation, and appointed D. M.
Halliday as the returning officer for the election of a reeve and
('ounci11or
, whieh \ras to be held at Kilbourn Hal1. .Just here a
hitch occurred which had not been foreseen. The Municipal Act
required that such election should take place on the first
Ionday in
January occurring after the by-law hall been three month
in exist-
ence. This would throw the first municipal election o\er until 1881.
To avoid this the aid of the Legislature was sought, which pa
sed
an Act l validating an election made on the last )[onday of December.
1879. The following were the councillurs then elected: .T. H. Elliot,
reeve; Jas. Halliday, George Stanley, Dr.
. B. Gillies and Alex.
Ramage, councillors. In a footnote 2 are given the names of those
who have filled the reeveship from 1 hbÚ to 1906. Th(> first village
clerk was John :McBain. D. :M. Halliday was appointcll trea5urer
of the village,S an office he held until his death in 190 t His suc-
cessor, 'Villialll \Ie Donald, still holds offic<,. The fiJ'
t assessor wa
Geo. Husband, who was expected to perform the duties of that office
for a yearly salary of ten dollars.
('hl'sl<,y has been broad-minded and liberal in its wi11ingnes
to
assume financial obligation
when the interests of the village at
large were concemf'J. The first public indebtedness wa:) assumed
'4il Vi('. Chap. 39.
2Names of the r('('ves of ChesI('y: .T. H. Elliot. 18
n. '81, '82, '89 to
189G; H. A. Bonnar, M.n., 1883; George Stn.n]('y, 1884, '85, 'R6; nl'orge
Cooke,
r.D., 1
7, '88; J. M. Stewart, :M.D., 1897, '98, 'P9, IPOO, '01;
W. A. Crow, D.D.S., 1!-)()2. '03, '04; Conrad Krug-, 1905, '06.
'The salary fixNl fOT both the clerk and trea
urer was but $
.í 1"'1'
n.nnn
.
378
DEBENTCRES
in 1
7b, when the first school-hou:::e was built. To accomplish this
$1,650 was raised by the sale of debentures. In 1878, when the first
bonus was asked for by the Stratford and Georgian Bay Railway,
Chesley, as part of the town;:-,hip of Elderslie, "\oted that $35,000 be
given as a bonus. l In 1879, when the railway came begging for a
second grant, Chesley in response a:5::mmed a sectional indebtedness
of
10.000. The next deht contracted" a:3 Ül 1888; thi:;: was for the
purchase of a steam fire-engine at a cost of $5,200. The deci
ion to
ert-'d the l'rt-':-ent ,.:chool-hou:,e in 1öÐÎ-8 ealled for the issue of
l.).OUU worth of debenture:,. In ] 900, and in each year since,
dehentures have lwen issuel1 to pay for local improvements, such as
granolithic sidewalks and se.wer:5. The aggregate of debentures so
issued up to time of writing, siÀ years in all, form a total of $31,4-H.
Large as is the debenture indebtedness of the municipality, the
vi11agers would not recall this expenditm'p, as it has been wisely and
prudently invested for the good of the public.
.\:' 1llpntio!ll'll in a J)1'('\ ion,.: paragraph. up to 1815 (and for a year
later. in faet) ('IlC',.:h'y was without a sehool within its own limits.
The following .fad:- regar1ling thp h}U:,P of prtucation in C}1('sley are,
h
- permi:"sion of tIlf' editor. pxtral'Ìec1 from The Cl/f'.<.i7cy Enterprise,
souvenir number:
.. The ehildren of the ear1ier settler
studiefl and recited their
If':,.;:nns in an old Jog :'1.11Ool-house 2 :,itnatf'f1 on Donald
[('Gr('gor'
farm on the second concession of Elderslie, and at least two Chesley
matrons have personal recollections of the early school life. When
the school became too small the classes were held in the old Presby-
terian church on the second conce:3sion, the frame of which was
afterwards moved to CI1P,.:ley. a11(l formed the skeleton of the old
)Iethodist church.
"But Chesley's first, really, truly own school was huilt in lR'ì"6.
Thi:- is thl' olll ,.:("hnol-how",:: ;H..l'O":
tJw rin'l" whi('h still remains
although now used for other than educational purposes. The original
building consisted of hut two rooms. and it was much later. when
the
e quarters became too small, that the addition on the north side
was built. This was until lR97 the hall of learning, and around it
IT he total of the annual ledcs Chesley raised to pay its share of this
bonus aggregated near1
' $6,000.
2A )Ir. Murray. in 1858. seems to have been the :first teacher of this
school. .
sThis old building cost $1,650. At least, that was the amount of the
c1t'lH'l1tnre i!'l
lWc1 to pa
' fnr it.
'1 1 ,/"1
CHGO
Ch'é-SLEY O/v-
,
II,
lL
r r
,
.-
J'
t'
I
1
, -')..
(COllrte8) of l'he8le) ":nt, rpr;", I
r. 379
THE :5CHOUL
379
cluster the ;,dlOol-day as:so(;iatÍon::; of most of the present generation.
\ralter Hi'll. \\hu taught ill the pioneer sehool 011 .. the
ceund," labored
here also and ruled, not by the rod, but by moral suasion. \\.)L
Atton forced iùeas mto the young minds uy the fre<1uellt application
of the taw:je. A. \r. Uobb, of the lralkerton Telescope, urged the
children gently but surely alon6 the thorny path of learning. )lr.
Cullen succeeded him, but proved inefficient. D. F. Hitehie built
up a reputation for the school that caused it to figure frequentl) at
the top of the list in Bruce County. It was :\lr. Ritchie who was
principal when the school removed to its present commodious quar-
ter:::, wherc there are nine class rooms, a teachers' room, a trustees'
room aud a large assembly hall. ....\.fter teaching for two years in
the new building
Ir. Ritchie resigned his position to remove to
Owen
ound, and H. D. .Mc.Murchy, who had been for four months
teacher of the private high s(;hool, was appointed principal in his
pla(;e, and the high school was merged in the continuation classes,
which became a noted feature in the work of the school.I At first
only two high :jchool teachers were employed, but a third was
subsequently added."
In 1
03 an effort wa::, made to have Chesley made a high :::,chool
di
trict, \\ hich "as acceded to by the County Council. and the
requireù uy-law was passed in January, 19U-1. The Chæley school
huilùing 2 ranks as the most complete and up-to-date of any in the
county. \Yithin its walls are accommodated both the public and
high schools. The present principal is James T. Luton, '1..\., who
i
doing eÀcellent work. Chesley of to-day has indeed right to be
proud of its school.
The church life now centred in Chesley commenced to take form
in the locality of which it is now the ccntre in thl' SUlllmer of 1859,
when the TIe,.
\..lex.
tewart, a Baptist minister stationed at Durham,
preached in the hou
,' of
\ rchihald )[d1rcgor. In :-O:eptcmhel' of that
year a congregation was org:mizl--d which formed part of a charge
that comprised DurhalU anù Hanover as well. O\er this ",idel}
e"\:tpndeiJ charge the Rev. 1f r.
t('wart ministcrl'(l. Lacking a church
building the congregation at Chesley held 8ervices in the school-
IR. C. H
dliday, of the Chl's]ey PubJic
choo], had till' hOllOI' of being
till' first puhlic school studt'nt to ('\'(>1' gain a f\('hola
hip in tIll' Dt'part-
m(,lltal Examinations. which hI' aid in .TIIly. If10
. HI' !'Itoo.l fonrth ill the
)lro\'ince.
:ErN'tl'd in 1
9j. at a <,ost of :tnollt $l:i,O()CI.
380
THE CHUUCHE
house and in public halls until 1875, when a modest church edi:tice
was erected, which is still in use.
Following close in point of time to the Baptists, the Presbyterians
commenced to forlll the nucleus of a congregation afterwards to
bear the name of the Geneva Presbyterian Church. The little body
of worshippers met for worship in the log school-house which stood
on lot 2G, concèbbion 3, of Elder::;lie. Every other Sunday from 1860
for a number of year::; the Rev. Geo. Bremner, the then lately ordained
minister at Paisley, conducted the services. At times the village
part of the congregation held services in Elliot's Hall. In 1872 a
church was built in Chesley, and on Odober iWth, 1874, the Rev.
John Bethune was inducted as minister of the congregation. He
was succeeded in 1879 by the Rev. John Ferguson, who after a most
successful pastorate passed to his reward in 1890. It was while Rev.
Mr. Ferguson was the minister of Geneva Church that the present
commodious church building was erected,! the opening of which
took place January 11th, 1885, the Rev. Dr. Grant, Principal of
Queen'::; University, officiating. The Rev. David Perrie was the next
minister of the congregation. He resigned in 1894, and was followed
in the pastorate by the Rev. E. A. MacKenzie (now filling a pro-
fessor's chair in the Presbyterian College, :Montreal), and he in 1900
by the Rev. J. J. Paterson. In 1904 the Rev. R. Atkin"on, the
present minister, was inducted,
The Associate Presbyterian congregation was organized in 1873.
At first it existed in connection with the United Presbyterian Church
of the United States. The congregation consisted of two charges,
one at Chesley, the other at Williamsford in Grey County. The
Rev. Thos. Hannay, D.D., who resided at \Villiamsford, attended,
as far as hiR health permitted, to the spiritual needs of the flock.
In 1876 the Rev. Wm. Findley was inducted to the pastorate, which
lasted for three years, during which the church and manse were built.
Then came a long vacancy. In 1889 the congregation was transferred
to the Associate Presbyterian Church of North America. The
present pastor, the Rev. S. H. McNeel, was inducted to this charge
in July, 1890.
The Methodists were late in the day in organizing a congrega-
tion at Chesley, the date being about 1875. The Rev. W. B. Danard
was the first minister. Services were held at first in Halliday's Hall.
ITh(> old C'hnrch was sold for $1.000 to th!' Church of England congre-
gation.
THE PRESS
381
In 1876 the old frame church built by the Presbyterians on the
second concession of Elderslie was purchased, taken down and
re-erected in the village with the addition of a veneer of brick. This
building being too small to accommodate the growing congregation,
the present large and handsome edifice was built, the corner-stone
of which was laid August 29th, 1898. The cost of this building was
about $8,000.
Tlip ('11111 ell uf .EuglaJl<.l has not a large congregation at Chesley.
At first it held services in Kilbourn's Hall. Then in 1884 it pur-
chased from the Presbyterians their original church edifice. After
worshipping there for twelve years, in 1896 steps were taken to build,
and on August 4th of that year the corner-stone of the new church
was laid. This congregation for a long time formed a joint charge
with that at Hanover.
The settling of a number of German familie5 at Chesley necessi-
tated the forming of a congregation in connection with the German
Evangelical Church, which in 188'1 built the neat looking edifice in
which they worship.
The press, as represented by The Chesley Enterprise, made its
bow to the public in the early part of 1877, R. H. Sped ding being
the original publisher. Since he ceased to be the proprietor of the
paper it has passed through the hands of the following: J. B.
Stephens, Wm. Kay, A. W. Robb, Adolph & McDonald, and is now
edited and published by Wm.
IcDonald. 'Vhen Adolph & :McDonald
dissolved partnership (1893) the latter continued to publish The
Enterprise, and the former, John Adolph, started The Free Press,
which existed for about five years. In 1902 The Enterprise did itself
credit by publishing a souvenir number, in which the story of Chesley.
past and present, were ably told and delineated. The author wa:-:
courteously permitted by Mr. McDonald to make use of anything
therein which might add to the interest and val up of this history,
which offer has been gratefully accepted. _
The growth of Chesley has ariscn in a large measure from its
manufacturing industries. 1.'he first of these were the mills built
in the fifties by A. S. Elliot. The grist mill as it now stands was
built by J. H. Elliot and Alex. Ramage in 1875. \.t that date it
wa<.:. tlH' 1II0
t completp mill of it
kincl in thi
ai
trict. Even to-day
there are only two or three in the whole county to be compared with
it. TIl(\ K rug Rros.' furniturc factory i
a largl} inòuRtry that adds
greatly to the output of Chf'sll'Y's manufactures. Commcncing in
382
THE "BIG JJ FIRE
a modest way during the eighties, the business. has now a market
extending over the Dominion. In 1884 Stevens Bros. started a plan-
ing mill that has. continued to increase year by year. D. Stevens is
the present proprietor.
The first banking institution to open business in Uhe5ley was a
private bank known as that of Hay Bros., J. :UcBain, manager,
After being in business for a few years they were bought out in 1879
by J. H. Elliot & Co., this latter firm being composed of J. H. Elliot,
D. M. Halliday and J. McBain. Continuing to do a profitable busi-
ness for twenty years, the firm sold out to the Merchants Bank of
Canada in 1899. The first chartered bank to commence business in
Chesley was the Bank of Hamilton, which opened a branch there in
November, 1889.
J line 9th, 1888, is a date that will be remembered in the history
of Chesley as that of the great fire. At the time it certainly looked
like a crushing blow, but it has proved rather of the nature of a
blessing, in that the burned-over tract has been rebuilt with a hand-
somer class of buildings than were there before. The stranger enter-
ing Chesley from the south and looking down the main street from
the top of the hill is struck by the handsome appearance of the busi-
ness part of the town. It is unfortunate that the back and side streets
do not convey as favorable an impression.
treets only forty and
fifty feet in width alc not in conformity with modern ideas. These
narrow streets are the result of private surveys of village lots, which
were not conceived on a broad and generous plan. The. private
residences of Chesley are a marked feature of the town, impressing
the visitor with a sense of the number of well-to-do people in this
commUllity.
For many years 'the good people of Chesley were ambitious to
have their municipality numbered among the towns of the province.
.A census taken in the summer of 1906 revealed the fact that the
required number of inhabitants dwelt within the bound:; of the cor-
poration. The preliminary proceedings were then completed, and the
Lieut.-Governor issued a proclamation erecting the village into a
town and dividing it into three wards. The proclamation came into
effect on October 1st, 1906.
UHAP'llER XÀIX.
JiLL.LGE OF P.LJ.
LEr.l
IN taking up the chapter on the 'hi:::;tory of l)ai:::;ley the author does
so with the conseiou:'lle
:-: that the <:hronidl':' of the \ iUage have been
ahly and well written by
\in:::;lcy 'J egra \\. llis wurk appl'areù in a
p('('ial edition of the l'aLslcy .Ldroutle. .February ;Wth, 189ù. The
press ha
written up various plaees in the county at different time
,
hut no \'iJJage or town ha::; been :,.) fort llnate as PaÜ:ley in having its
history \Hittpn :--0 fully, sJstematit:ally and accurately. The \\riting
of Pai!':ley"s history was a labor of lo\e to )lr.
ll'g1'3w. Paisley is his
natin' town, and there he had re
iùeù up to the time he compiled his
narrative. He had, as it wen', breathed in the histury of the village,
and was ellabled to impart to h:û, narratiye the local coloring which it
i;:, \ ain for a stranger to try to illlita tf.. )Ir. )leg-raw had also taken
great pains to he ae(:urate in his facts. Healizing all thi::; fully, the
author wrote to )fr. \Iegraw, and also to )lr. D. .McKenzie, the pre
ent
publisher of the. LdL"f)("(tle, requesting permi:,:,ioll to ut:e the material
Pllblish('d, as above mentioned. From both gcntlcnl('ll a ready and
eourteous conll>liance was given. ""}lPre ill this chapter portions are
takcn en bloc from 'Ir. )[egraw's narraÜ\'e, credit will be gÍ\-en to
the .1dt'om{f. In other case
\\ hcre his account i:3 miwd in with fact.s
the author hc.1b obtained this may not hp pos!':ible.
In Chapter "\ . rl'Ícrence is made to the !,:pttlf'nlt'nt made at Paisley
hy its pioneer <.:cttlers, Simon Orchard and Samuel T. Rowe.
.\Jthongh in a measure repeating what was there
aid, the author feels
that the :,tory of the settlement preparpå b.v 1[r. Howe. ,1I1f1 which was
pnblish('d in the Port 1
'lgill Timl's, should here appP;H, at least in
part. ,[ f'ssr
. Orchard and Howe \\ er(' among tll<' pioneer ::ettlers
\\ ho took up land in 1R4'2 on th(' Garafraxa !:n,Hl. in the town::hip:o- of
Egrpmont and Sormanby. \fter th(' opPlling up of the free grants
along the j)urham Road, th('
' lpêun('d of tlw
up('rior quality of the
I;:oil in Brant, Rnd Rowe decided to c:ettle there and start a tavern at
'Till' \'illng'1. h('anl till' WIlli" of a ton n ill H..nfr('w
lIin'. 1',."tl:lI),1. Hut
n lIy tll(, naillI' ('aliiI' tn 1.., lw..towl'd th.' nllth.}r hn!'! lIot I.. "II nhlf' to
a s,'prt a í II.
3F:3
3ts4
P AISLEY'
PIONEERS
_II
the locality afterwards known as Gaffaney's Corners, but before he
reached the place the la1!-d had been taken up by another. Urchard
sold his farm in Egremont, while .Howe rented his on a ten-year lease.
During the w
te.E... oU
50-51 they teameù their effects to \Yalkerton,
ready for the openiug of spring. About the middle of April, 1851,
)11'. Orchard brought his family to \r alkerton. Learning of desirable
lands located down the river, he decided to try his fortune in that
direction. \Vith the heÌp of a hired man, he made a raft of. cedar
logs. On this he placed his family and household effects and started,
unappalled by the dangers and difficulties that lay before them, on a
,-oyage down the
augeen. :;\Ir. Orchard had some information about
the land and the appearance of the locality at the mouth of .Mud
River, as it was then called. He said he had had a dream about it,
and if it were like what he saw in the dream he would stay there, and
he wanted to be there first. It turned out, so he found when he
arrived, to be just like what he dreamed about. )11'. Rowe was
delayed owing to the sickness and death of his son, and was unable
to start with :Mr. Orchard. He was also further detained for a few
days at \Valkerton, to be "corner man" at the putting up of a two-
story log house, owned by his cousin, \Vm. Jasper. \Vhile there, on
the first day of :\lay, a foot of snow fell, but by night the log::; were
swept and the building raised. :Mr. Rowe engaged William \Valker,
'V. .Jasper, George Neeley and Alex. :l\IcIntyre to build two large rafts
;-'11(1 take him down the river. They started on the 9th day of
Iay, and
landed safely at the site of what was afterwards to be known as the
village of Paisley early that afternoon. The two pioneers were well
pleased with the look of the land. Mr. Orchard was satisfied with his
choice on the north side of the river, and so was 1\11'. Rowe with his on
the south side. l\fr. Rowe's hired men returned next day. leaving the
two families with one hirea m;U1 alone in the fore3t, milcti fro.r;n the
nearest settler. Mr. Orchard had alrcady erected a good shanty of
poles. In three days after the arrival of ::\h. Rowe and family the three
men and two women. with the help of o'\:en, put up a large shanty for
the newly arrived family. :Mr. Orchard then cut logs for a new house.
.\t thi!'- time the party of surveyors under l\[r. (aftprward Senator) A.
Vidal, engaged iil the survey of the township of Saugeen, happened to
come along, and helped to raise it. This building will be remem-
bered as the store that Mr. Samuel Steel occupied for some time. The
winter of 1851-52 was a notably severe one. l\fr. Orchard had four
cows and }'fr. Rowe fourteen head of cattle to winter that season, with
HI MO
UH,("II \!tv
p.3S3
f'"
.JOII'
.
kDfI'AI.I)
1'. -I
1
'.
'....
-------
:";.uln':L T. RO\\"I':
,
I
/
/
". 383
,
C\I'T. Ih"
...\S 1-tO\\ \
I'. -136
FIR
T DEATH
3h5
nothing to feed them 011 Lut tree tops. The two settlers each hired a
lllan to chop all winter. )1r. Howe hired his man on the 12th of
October. The first snow fell that night. For months it had an aver-
age depth of five feet, and was to be seen in the swamps in the follow-
ing June; but the cattle got through well. When the ice began to
break up on the river )[r. Orchard's four cows came down to the river
for a drink, as usual.
tanding on the rotten ice, it broke beneath
them, and the cows were never ::;een again. In the summer of 1852
)lr. Howe, with the assistancc of hired help, eut the logs and built
what was known for years as Rowe's tavern. 1 ts site was opposite the
p re::ient T own Hall, and it stood projecting on the street at an angle
thereto. Its measurements were thirty by twenty-four, with a lean-to
for a kitchen, and another lean-to for a dining-room. The families of
the two settlers were separated by the rre eswater River. To o\'ercome
this inconvenience one of the first things they undertook was to erect
a foot-bridge over the stream. Unfortunately, the next spring freshet
washed it away, and for a while they depended upon a dog, which was
trained to ::iwim acro:::.s and carry small things from one shanty to the
other.
In
\ugu
t, 1851, John Valentine sent two men to take posses:;ion
of the mill site which he had applied for at the Crown Lands Office.
One of the men, David HOSSl by name, took ill and died during the
following month. Owing to scarcity of lumber in the settlement, some
of the boar<ls that formed the floor in the house of )[r. Rowe had to
he u:'l'(l for tlw coffin, ",hill' a carpl'nter, .T amc::; Bcn:,on. had to be
hron:.r ht down the ri\er from Walk<,rton to makC' it. Two hrotht'r:, of
tIw (h.(.east',L who rl'
id('d at Ferl!us, were ahll' to be pr('
C'nt at the
fU1H'ra1. which was the fir:,t in the township of Elderslie.
In the chaptC'r on Eld('r
lie i
to hC' fonnd the namC's of tho::;
who
early took up land at or in thp vjeinity of Paisley, Únp who early
},('('ame identified with the settlement wa" .r ohn )re
raw. In 1851 he
took up a farm lot in the to\\llship of Saugeen, hut had the misfortune
in the following- spring to have his
hanty burned down. John Valen-
tine, who was passing down the river to Southampton, happened to
meet )rr. 'fegraw, anrl persuaded him to leave the farm and work at
the \miltling of his <lam ana sawmill at Paisley. I n the fall of that
year
Tr. )Trgrnw to.2.k21P the farm 10!...2n which the railw a..x station at
II):" irl Ross was an un('\f' of thf' R('v. .J.
. Hoss, H.I>., of thl' C 'un:IIIi:m
[dhotlist ('hurch, Intp of \\'nlkprton. nnll a hrotlll'r of Wm. Ross, town
c'It'1'I, of Ff'r
u8.
14
386
SURVEYS
Paisley now stands, and in the lllo
th of October, 1851, installed his
. family in a little shanty he had there constructed. The Va l entin e
sawmill was running in 1852, supplying ::;ettlers near at hand, and
abu f
lle -distance clown the river with lumber required for build-
ing purposes. It was the practice of the last mentioned to raft and
float down the river the lumber they purchased. - a
)Iessrs. Rowe and Orchard, realizing the possibilities for the
de\'elopment of a town on the lands they had squatted upon, were
desirous to secure a patent therefor from the Crmyn, and eari y paid
into the hands of the Crown Lands Agent! the required amount. But
the Department also seemed to have realized it would be lle:-::irable
to have a town plot suneyed at the junction of the
augeen and
Teeswater Rivers; or quite probably there were those who were pulling
thewires of political influence to obtain the lands and hold the ::;ame
for speculative purpose::;. 'Vhatever was the reason, the Crown patent
remained year after year unissued, notwithstanding repeated visits of
)Ir. Rowe to the Crown Land Department at Quebec and Toronto.
At last the Department ùe
ided to have a town plot there laid out, and
in 1856 Francis Kerr, P.L.S., made the necessary survey.2 Th e rights
of :Messrs. Row
and O rchard we r
spe
d, and patent after patent
in their names, issued on
eptember 17th, 1856, for village and park
lots are to be found entered in the books of the Registry Office.
\.
plan of this
nney was lithographed and published, a copy of this,
in the hands of the author, portrays the extent of development attained
by the ,'illage in 1856-5.. The plan shows but thirty-six building
in
all, ðcattered along Queen Street, and thence down Alma Street to
Y alentine's mill. In the plan are shown three sawmills, one gri::.t
mill, the school-house and Rowe's tavern, besides unnamed buildings.
There is no bridge over the
augeen, or 'Villow Creek, while the bridge
over the Teeswater seems as if it extended from the high bank on the
south f'ide. nearly to Church Strept.
\.fter leaving the river bank it
mOf't probably was a sort of causeway till higher ground was reached.
The name of Paif'ley was given to the village when the post-office
was opened, February 1st, 1856. The first postmaster was Thoma::.
lLant1s in Elderslie were opened for sale, July 30th, 1852. See Appendix .f.
The survey was made at the time of the Crime an War. This explains
why there is (.ommemorated in th"e nomenclature of the streets the battles,
ami the names of English and French generals in command in the Crimea.
The suney inehH1ec1 lands in both the townships of Elderslie anc1 Greenoek,
with an aereage of 1,500 aeres, consisting of 3181f:! aeres of streets, 1371
mill sites and rivers, and 1,044 acres in town and park lots. When incor-
porated the area of the village was reduced about one half.
INDCSTRIES
387
o rc:!! a rd. 11(' also was the first nwrd13nt. At the time he opened out
his stock of goods it wa
in a room ill UU\\e's ta\ern, but in 1854: he
built the first store eredeù in the village, occupied sub::;equently for
) ear::; by Hobert ::Seott a:-, a Hour and feed
tore.
\.s time \\ ore on,
"Tradesllll'n and other::; bpgan to make their appearance in Paisley,
anù bit by bit the cluster of little shanties in the small patch of clear-
ing began to widen out, and the whole to take on the appearance of
a town.
peaking of tradesmen, 'Ir. Thomas Irving was in tho
e
days an essential part of the community, and when difficulties of
a mechallit..al nature arO::5l', invariahly his aid wa
sought. His
little workhou::5e on the hank overlooking ;:;tark':::; mill \\ as a
veritable curio:,it," ::-:ho1" it \\ a
a foundry and a \ratehmaker'
shop; everything from a broken-do\\ n printing pless to an old gun
or a sick watch, was benefited by his treatment. Long will the mem-
ory of his quaint sayings remain, \\ ith the younger people espe-
cially" (Pai.o,:ley .1 avocate). The hum of industry early pervaded the
\-illagl'. '1']1(' gri:-:t lIIilllmilt hy John Y(ll('ntine in 1855 ",as in opera-
tion in 1856. The mill privilege, now known as the Fisher
\fill
property. was purchaspd from
. T. Rowe in 1859, and developed by
)[r. David D. Hanna and milling actively carried on. Industries of
various descriptions also commenced to develop, such as ::5ash and door
factories, owned by .J oseph Christie and the Sinclair Brothers. A
tallJ)PJ'Y wa:::; ::5tartl'cl by .J ames Rone, a blacksmith ::;hop by J 08eVh
Donald. a foundry hy .1 allies Bradley, who ::-:old out in 18.0 to Laid-
law & Robinson; a briel.yard, by "r lll. _\nsiead. Yarious other
traùes and profe8sions also began to be represented, so that by the
time ten years or so had pa
('ò Paisley presenteù all the appearance
of a thri\ ing little vi11agl'. It was in lR5!} that the author paid his
first visit to Paisley, to be present at the opening of St. Andrew's
Church. 'Villie Rain, a youth of his own age. showed him over the
place. The impres!'ions which he ean no\\ reeall refer principally to
the !
(}irée at the church
the storps of Thoma" Orchard and Richard
Dirk, which s('emed
mall: \-alpntine.smill : the
c:ittpr{'(l appearan<.:e
of thf' huil,l iug!'. amI
prgi
on's hofp/. \\ hpre he put up. The' fì rp in
the" irlf' hl"ipk firf'place in thp bar-room, pi]('d high with four-foot logs,
gave 
TVNews
OpenLibrary